‘Corruption within the judiciary affects the public trust’: CJI Gavai Yashwant Verma Cash Ro. Bharat News

New Delhi: India’s Chief Justice Bra Gavai has warned that corruption and misconduct cases within the judiciary can severely weaken the public trust, pose a threat to the overall credibility and integrity of the justice system. The statement came to light on recent allegations against Allahabad High Court Justice Yashwant Verma, who is under investigation after allegedly recovered a sufficient amount of cash from his official residence in Delhi.Speaking at a Round Table Conference in the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom on “Judicial validity and public beliefs”, he said, “Apart from this, every system, no matter how strong it is, is susceptible to professional misconduct issues. It is a matter of regret that there are examples of corruption and malpractice which have also come up within the judiciary. Such events essentially have a negative effect on public confidence, possibly fulfilling faith in the integrity of the system.,He said, “However, the path of reconstruction of this trust lies in the fast, decisive and transparent action to address and solve these issues. In India, when such examples have come out, the Supreme Court has taken immediate and appropriate measures to continuously address the malpractices,” he said.CJI Gawai defended the collegium system to appoint judges in the higher judiciary, given that before 1993, the executive organized a decisive authority in judicial appointments in the Supreme Court and High Courts. “During this period, the executive abolished more senior judges in appointing the CJI twice, which went against the established tradition,” he said.“The collegium system may be criticized, but no solution should come at the cost of judicial freedom. Judges should be free from external control, “he said.Gavai further emphasized that in any democracy, the judiciary should not only give justice, but should also be considered as a reliable institution that is capable of holding power responsible. He said that judicial validity and public trust is closely linked to the strength of the system and is necessary.“Validity and public confidence is not through the force of command, but through the reliability acquired by the courts. Any erosion of this belief weakens the constitutional role of the judiciary as the last mediator of rights. Transparency and accountability are democratic qualities, “CJI Gavai said.Addressing the controversial issue of judges who accepted post -retirement posts, Gawai warned that the time of such roles and the fairness of the judiciary could doubt. He warned that this could lead to public perception that judicial rule was entertained with the greed of future government posts or political affiliation, which ended the trust in the integrity of the institution.“Another point of discussion is post -retirement jobs taken by judges. In India, the judges are subject to a certain retirement age. If a judge makes another appointment with the government immediately after retirement, or resigns from the bench to contest elections, it raises important moral concerns and invites public investigations.”