Bhushan clears the air over his remark

In an additional affidavit filed here this week, he said, “When I said that in my view about half of the last 16-17 chief justices were corrupt, I certainly did not intend to paint the entire judiciary or the entire Supreme Court with the same brush.”

“I believe that the SC has had and continues to have many outstanding judges and chief justices, due to whose tireless efforts we have been able to hold on to some of our cherished fundamental rights,” he said.

“However, I would be remiss in my duty as a campaigner for judicial accountability and reforms had I not stated my honest opinion about the serious and indeed alarming state of corruption in the higher judiciary,” he said.

Bhushan in his affidavit made it clear that by alleging corruption in the judiciary, he did not mean financial gain, but judicial impropriety and judicial partiality while deciding a court case. He has given the names of six former CJIs and their act of impropriety during their tenure.

“I had done so in public interest, only to draw attention to the extent of the problem and the urgent need to correct the situation by putting in place robust and effective institutional mechanisms for enforcing the accountability of the higher judiciary. I submit that this cannot and must not be held to be contempt of court,” he said.