One of these 11 former judges had once confined his 30-year-old daughter at home to stop her from marrying her boyfriend from a different caste. Another was referred to as an “uncle judge” by the Bar Council because a relative of his worked as an advocate in the same court. Yet another called a Supreme Court justice from the minority community “communal” purely on the basis of his religion. All 11 have worked for the government in various capacities after their retirement.
The open letter by the 21 retired judges raises several pertinent questions. First, do judges have any business quoting Bharatiya traditions while passing judgment, or is their allegiance bound by the Constitution alone? Next, are the former judges only frightened by threats to Bharatiya culture or are they beholden to the government because many of them have or had post-retirement jobs?
12/04/2023