New Delhi: Justice A R Lakshmanan of the Supreme Court refused to hear a review petition by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav's son Akhilesh Yadav on Monday.
Lakshmanan's decision to refuse hearing the petition, which comes after he received an anonymous letter that cast aspersions of his integrity, comes as yet another reminder of the immense pressure on the judiciary when hearing cases involving influential figures.
While reacting to the SC judge's decision, Constitutional expert Subhash Kashyap said, "The Honourable Judge has felt pained and disturbed by the anonymous letter that has cast aspersions on his integrity. His sensibilities have been hurt."
He added that the act of sending an anonymous letter was disgraceful. "Lakshmanan could have ignored it, but the fact that he took action on it speaks volumes of his honourable conduct."
Kashyap said that as a citizen, one has a right to question the judgements but to question the integrity of an individual per se was wrong.
In this particular case too, the SC's decision to ask CBI to probe the disproportionate assets case filed against Mulayam Singh's son Akhilesh Yadav ahead of the Assembly elections in the state was wrong, Kashyap said.
"The judiciary is acountable to the legislature and the executive, but I will not link the criticism of SC's judgement on the case with what has happened," he said.
Kashyap pointed out that the review petition is normally heard by the same judge who has passed a judgement on the case to begin with, but after Lakshmanan's refusal to do so, it will have to be passed on to one of the other 25 judges. "The CJI will decide on who would decide on the case," he added.
Comments
0 comment