The Supreme Court on Friday refused to amend its order severely crticising the Allahabad high court with “something is rotten there” remark and instead asked its administration to have a serious “introspection” rather than reacting to the observations made by the apex court.
A bench of Justices Markandey Katju and Gyan Sudha Misra, which had criticised the HC for the “uncle judge syndrome” allowing lawyers related to the judges to practice in the high court, struck to its earlier order of November 26, saying that the observations were made in the context of some complaints against certain judges not all judges working there.
“It is nowhere mentioned in the said order of (November 26) that all judges of the HC are corrupt. What is mentioned in the order is that there are complaints against ‘certain judges’ not all judges. It has been mentioned in the order that many lawyers who are relative of judges are scrupulously taking care that no one should lift a finger on that account. It is clarified that many judges in the HC are doing the same,” the bench said.
Stating that it was not “time to react but to introspect,” on this serious issue, the bench clearly told high court counsel P.P. Rao, who wanted expunging certain harsh comments in the November 26 order claiming that it was not the interest of the institution as whole.
As Mr Rao said that people would not be able to identify the “blacksheeps”, Justice Katju, heading the bench shot back saying “people will know which judge is honest and which is corrupt. The day Katju starts taking bribe the whole country will know. Don’t think the people of India are fool. It is another matter, they will not say, who is corrupt out of fear. But these things cannot be concealed for long.”
In response to Mr Rao’s argument that people were “rustic” to understand such things, Justice Katju observed “rustic people are more intelligent. I know there are very many good judges who are doing honest work.”