Letters: An independent judiciary?

Indira Jaising's article "Institutions of governance have surrendered their autonomy" (June 29) has something for both the judiciary and the executive to ponder upon. The whole episode of the executive not accepting the unanimous recommendation of the highest court for appointing Gopal Subramanium as a judge of Supreme Court highlights a very grim scenario of one's vulnerability in the hands of some cops filing vague, often unverifiable and unsubstantiated "intelligence reports" that virtually destroy such recommendations. What is even worse is that such reports are filed and acted upon by the executive without the person concerned being afforded any opportunity to clarify his position. If such an opaque process is allowed to legitimise the rejection of a candidate found fit by the Supreme Court, it will only undermine the entire process of selection of judges, with the executive gaining primacy in such matter. This is bound to threaten the independence of the judiciary- a hallmark of democracy. This case must not become a precedent for the future.

S K Choudhury Bangalore

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