JOIN USFormer Supreme Court judge Justice Markandey Katju’s allegations, that three former Chief Justices of India had made “improper compromises” in dealing with a judge in Tamil Nadu, has elicited mixed reactions from the legal circles.
Senior advocate K N Bhat said, “It is not sincere at all. The obvious purpose of his article is to draw the attention of the new government. He is seeking a new job.”
Justice Katju’s term as chairman of the Press Council of India is coming to an end in October. However, Bhat’s colleague, senior advocate Sanjay Parikh said it was a matter of “grave concern” if that was the way the collegium system for appointment of judges had been functioning.
Parikh also apprehended that Justice Katju had cited only one example, and that there must be hundreds of other cases.
“Since Justice Katju has written with facts and figures, it calls for review of the system. There should be certain norms to be followed. What is happening is that people having merit, honesty, compassion and sincerity are sidelined, but those belonging to judges' families or having good corporate practice are preferred,” he said.
But senior advocate Vikas Singh disagreed with Parikh, saying Justice Katju's “disclosure” was doing more harm than good to the institution of the judiciary in general and the collegium in particular.
“Justice Katju should have done it when he was part of the system. He has benefited from the same collegium system. To raise it now after 10 years serves no purpose,” said Singh