More than 600 lawyers have written to the Chief Justice of India, raising concerns about a vested interest group's attempt to pressure the judiciary, influence the judicial process, and defame courts using frivolous logic and stale political agendas.

The lawyers have asserted that such actions are not only disrespectful and contemptuous but also constitute an attack on the honour and dignity of the courts.

The letter, dated March 26, bears the signatures of prominent lawyers including Harish Salve, Manan Kumar Mishra, Adish Agarwala, Chetan Mittal, Pinky Anand, Hitesh Jain, Ujjwala Pawar, Uday Holla, and Swaroopama Chaturvedi.

During the ongoing hearings regarding the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, a letter addressed to D Y Chandrachud expressed concern over attempts to undermine the judiciary’s integrity. The letter also stated that the antics of the interest group are vitiating the atmosphere of trust and harmony, which characterises the functioning of the judiciary.

"Their pressure tactics are most obvious in political cases, particularly those involving political figures accused of corruption," the letter further read. "These tactics are damaging to our courts and threaten our democratic fabric."

While the identity of the interest group remains unclear, the signatories have suggested that certain lawyers are involved in undermining the judiciary.

"They create false narratives of a supposed 'better past' and 'golden period of the courts, contrasting it with the happenings in the present. These are nothing but intentional statements, made to sway court decisions and to embarrass the court's for certain political gains. It's troubling to see some lawyers defend politicians by the day, and then try to influence judges through the media at night," they said in the letter.

The lawyers noted that such remarks sometimes result in slanderous attacks and insinuations against esteemed judges.

"They have also resorted to comparing our courts to those in countries lacking the rule of law and accusing our judicial institutions of unfair practices. These criticisms are not merely criticisms; they are direct assaults aimed at undermining public trust in our judiciary and jeopardising the equitable application of our laws," they stated.

The top legal minds have also asserted that these groups adopt a "My way or the highway" approach.

"...They hail any decision they agree with but trash, smear, and disregard any decision they disagree with. This cherry-picking has been evident in very recent judgments as well," they remarked.

The letter also urges the top court to take action against attempts to belittle and manipulate the courts for personal and political motives. "Staying silent or taking no action could inadvertently empower those who seek to cause harm. This is not the time to maintain a dignified silence, as such attempts have been occurring for a few years now and with increasing frequency."

Image source: Economic Times