'Judiciary Under Threat': Lawyers Express Concern, Say 'Special Lobby Undermining Courts'

New Delhi: A group of lawyers, including senior advocate Harish Salve and Bar Council of India chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra, have written to the Chief Justice of India, alleging that a "vested interest group" is trying to pressure the judiciary and defame courts "on the basis of frivolous logic and stale political agendas".

The specific interest group, according to the lawyers, is employing pressure tactics to influence judicial outcomes, particularly in cases involving political figures and corruption allegations. These actions, they argue, pose a significant threat to the democratic fabric and the trust placed in judicial processes.

“Their (interest group) antics are vitiating the atmosphere of trust and harmony, which characterises the functioning of the judiciary. Their pressure tactics are most obvious in political cases, particularly those involving political figures accused of corruption. These tactics are damaging to our courts and threaten our democratic fabric,” said the lawyers in the letter dated March 26. 

They further added that the special interest lobby operates in various ways, creating false narratives of a supposed 'better past' and ‘golden period of the courts,’ contrasting it with the happenings in the present.  

Lawyers' Group Writes to CJI: Key Points

• The lawyers highlighted that interest groups have also concocted an entire theory of 'bench fixing' - which is not just disrespectful and contemptuous - it's an attack on the honour and dignity of court.
• The lawyers alleged that interest groups are involved in selective criticism or praise of court decisions based on their political agenda, described as a “My way or the highway” approach.
• They further claimed that through underhand tactics and dissemination of false information, the vested interest group 
• The lawyers note the strategic timing of these tactics around election periods, drawing parallels to similar activities in 2018-2019.

The senior lawyers urged the Supreme Court to take note of such ‘motivated’ actions and protect the courts from the attacks to maintain judiciary's integrity. “We request the Supreme Court to stand strong and take steps to protect our courts from these attacks. Staying silent or doing nothing could accidentally give more power to those who mean to do harm," they added.