‘SC remarks not in sync with judicials ethos’

A group of retired judges, bureaucrats and armed forces on Tuesday sent an open letter to Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana condemning the observation made by the bench of Justices of Supreme Court for “surpassing the Laxman Rekha” while hearing former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s case in the Supreme Court, terming the remarks as “unfortunate and unprecedented”. The letter sent to CJI Ramana was signed by 15 retired judges, 77 retired bureaucrats and 25 retired armed forces officers against Justices Surya Kant and JB Pardiwala, who heard the Nupur Sharma’s case.

The letter stated: “We, as Concerned Citizens, do believe that the democracy of any country will remain intact till all the institutions perform their duties as per the constitution. Recent comments by the two judges of the Supreme Court have surpassed the Laxman Rekha and compelled us to issue an open statement.” The Supreme Court on Friday came down heavily on suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma stating that her outburst is responsible for an unfortunate incident in Udaipur, where a tailor was murdered.

The apex court further blamed the suspended BJP leader and said that she and “her loose tongue” has set the entire country on fire and she is singlehandedly responsible for what is happening in the country and said she should “apologise to the whole country”. Responding to the Supreme Court order, the group said, “Unfortunate and unprecedented comments emanating from the two Judge Bench of the Supreme Court-Justice Surya Kant and Justice J. B. Pardiwala, while being seized of a petition by Nupur Sharma, have sent shockwaves in the country and outside. The observations, simultaneously relayed by all news channels in high decibel, are not in sync with judicial ethos. By no stretch these observations, which are not part of the judicial Order, can be sanctified on the plank of judicial propriety and fairness. Such outrageous transgressions are without parallel in the annals of Judiciary.” T h e y s a i d t h a t t h e observations that “have no connect jurisprudentially with the issue raised in the petition, transgressed in an unprecedented manner all canons of dispensation of justice.” “ P e r c e p t i o n a l l y t h e observations- Nupur Sharma is adjudged with severity guilty in a proceeding where this was not an issue at all – Reflectionshe is “single-handedly r e s p o n s i b l e f o r what is happening in the country” has no rationale. By such observation perceptionally t h e r e i s a virtual.