SCBA condemns Andhra CM’s letter to CJI
New Delhi:The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has condemned a letter written by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to the Chief Justice of India S.A. Bobde, where he had levelled allegations against a senior sitting judge of the apex court.
The top court lawyers’ association, in its resolution, said such actions by constitutional functionaries are opposed to the conventions, causing serious inroads impacting the independence of the judiciary as enshrined in the Constitution.
The SCBA resolution came on the heels of the resolution passed by another apex court lawyers’ association, the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA), which also condemned the letter by the Andhra Chief Minister to the Chief Justice.
Earlier this week, a similar resolution was passed by the Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA).
The DHCBA said the October 6 letter by Reddy was an uncalled for interference in the due administration of justice by the high court judges.
A retired judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court had also written a letter to the Chief Justice, urging him not to consider the Andhra Pradesh CM’s letter levelling various allegations against a senior sitting judge of the apex court and termed the letter as an orchestrated allegations.
Justice (retired) Noushad Ali said: “The Chief Minister, instead of pursuing legal remedies which he has already invoked against the orders of the high court, has resorted to a short cut by invoking the administrative jurisdiction of the court with ulterior motives.”
Reddy, in an unprecedented move, wrote a letter to the Chief Justice, alleging that the Andhra Pradesh High Court was being used as an instrument to destabilise and topple the democratically elected government.
Reddy sought the Chief Justice’s intervention in the matter and urged him to consider taking appropriate steps to ensure that the state judiciary’s neutrality is maintained.
The Chief Minister alleged that the senior apex court judge had proximity to TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu.