File Picture Courtesy : The Statesman
The opposition has expressed its anguish over the Supreme Court developments. In its first reaction to the crisis, the Congress has said democracy was in “danger”, while the CPI(M) called for a thorough probe, after four top Supreme Court judges came out in the open to claim the situation in the apex court was “not in order”.
“We are very concerned to hear 4 judges of the Supreme Court expressed concerns about the functioning of the Supreme Court. #DemocracyInDanger,” the Congress’ official Twitter handle said.
Later addressing the media Congress President Rahul Gandhi said points raised by the Honorable judges need to be looked into carefully and even Justice Loya’s death needs to be investigated properly. He further added that there is a threat to democracy.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee voiced “anguish” over the happenings in the Supreme Court today where four top judges virtually revolted against the Chief Justice of India, saying the development made people sad as citizens. She also said “extreme interference” of the Centre in the functioning of the judiciary was “dangerous” for democracy, but did not elaborate.
“We are deeply anguished with the developments today about the Supreme Court. What we are getting from the statement of the four senior Hon’ble Judges of Supreme Court about the affairs of the court makes us really sad as citizens,” Banerjee, also Trinamool Congress chief, said in a statement. “Judiciary and the media are the pillars of democracy. Extreme interference of central government with judiciary is dangerous for democracy,” she said.
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said a thorough investigation was required to understand how the independence and integrity of the judiciary was getting “affected”, after the judges said many “less than desirable” things had taken place in the apex court. He said it was necessary for the three wings of democracy to ensure that whatever issues had been raised were corrected. “This merits a thorough, proper investigation and understanding of how independence and integrity of judiciary is being interfered or is being affected, which is impermissible in a secular democratic republic,” Yechury said.
“It is necessary for all three wings of our democracy–the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary–to ensure that whatever has been raised is corrected,” he added. Speaking to PTI, former Union law minister and Congress leader Ashwani Kumar said it was a “sad day” in the history of India that judges were “compelled” to bring in public domain the happenings in the top court. He also called for a collective resolve to address the issues flagged by the judges “instead of finding fault with what they have said”.
“The expressed and implicit anguish in the exceptional and extraordinary step take by the judges has a message in itself. A time has come for the nation to debate the larger issues that squarely arise from the communication released by the judges to the press. “…I hope that the honourable CJI and all those concerned will take urgent remedial measures,” the Congress leader said. Four senior judges of the Supreme Court today virtually revolted against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, listing a string of problems that they said were afflicting the country’s highest court, and warned those could destroy Indian democracy.
