After Chief Justice of India NV Ramana blamed concerted media campaigns against judges affecting the judiciary in the country, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday pointed out that “no judge or judiciary is as independent anywhere in the world as it is in India.”
Delivering the inaugural lecture instituted in the memory of Justice Satya Brata Sinha on Saturday, CJI Ramana noted that “kangaroo courts” are being run in the social media to put immense pressure on the judges, and that eventually affects the fairness of the judicial systems. The CJI further noted that while the print media still holds a certain degree of accountability, the same is not true for the electronic media. He warned the media of staying within the boundaries or inviting action either from the government or the courts. The CJI also highlighted the lack of security cover given to retired judges unlike elected or public representatives. “Politicians, bureaucrats, police officers and other public representatives are often provided with security even after their retirement owing to the sensitiveness of their jobs. Ironically, judges are not extended similar protection,” he said.
Reacting to the CJI’s observations, Rijiju told news agency ANI, “The comments made on the media trial by the CJI Ramana by electronic and social media are his observation as per the situation that exists in India and across the world…if anybody feels that way we can discuss this in the public domain and I don’t want to comment on what he said right now.”
“Indian judges and judiciary are completely protected and I can say clearly that no judge or judiciary is as independent anywhere in the world as it is in India,” he was quoted by news agency ANI as saying.
Coming down heavily on media trials against the justice delivery systems in India, CJI Ramana said, “Media trials cannot be a guiding factor in deciding cases. Of late, we see the media running kangaroo courts at times on issues even experienced judges find difficult to decide. Ill-informed and agenda-driven debates on issues involving justice delivery are proving to be detrimental to the health of democracy,” he said.
“Biased views being propagated by the media are affecting the people, weakening democracy, and harming the system. In this process, justice delivery gets adversely affected. By overstepping and breaching your responsibility, you are taking our democracy two steps backward,” he further added.