Former SCBA President Adish Aggarwala Urges CJI to Act on West Bengal Judicial Officers’ Security Concerns
New Delhi, India – September 12, 2024: Adish Aggarwala, the former President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and a Senior Advocate, has requested the Chief Justice of India (CJI) to take suo motu action based on a letter from three judicial officers in West Bengal.
Incident Details
The judicial officers, who serve in Diamond Harbour, South 24 Parganas district, reported an alarming incident that occurred on September 9, 2024. According to their letter, a police officer instructed the guards at their official quarters, known as ‘Judges Abasan,’ to allow two individuals to enter and disconnect the power supply at an unusual hour. This raised serious concerns about the security and independence of the judiciary.
Concerns Raised
Adish Aggarwala emphasized that such actions could be seen as attempts to intimidate or interfere with the judicial process. He urged the CJI to take suo motu cognisance of the incident, highlighting the potential threat to judicial independence and the integrity of the judicial system.
Possible Implications
Suo motu action would mean the judiciary initiates legal proceedings on its own, without waiting for a formal petition. This could lead to a thorough investigation into the police officer’s actions and a review of the circumstances surrounding the power disconnection attempt.
Official Complaint
The judicial officers believe the incident is linked to adverse orders they passed in some POCSO Act cases, which might have motivated certain individuals to retaliate. They described the incident as an attempt to intimidate them into delivering favorable judgments in future cases and stated that they no longer feel safe in their official quarters.
Government Involvement
Sukanta Majumdar, Union Minister of State for Education and Development of the Northeastern Region, also expressed deep concern over the incident in a letter to the Union Minister for Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal. He called for strict action against those involved, including any complicit police officers.
Call for Action
Adish Aggarwala’s appeal to the CJI underscores the severity of the threat to judicial independence and constitutional rights. He stressed that this incident should not be treated as an isolated event but as a direct challenge to the judiciary’s authority. He urged the Supreme Court to act swiftly to protect judicial officers from external threats, ensuring they can perform their duties without fear of intimidation.
Doubts Revealed
SCBA -: SCBA stands for the Supreme Court Bar Association. It is a group of lawyers who practice in the Supreme Court of India.
Adish Aggarwala -: Adish Aggarwala is a well-known lawyer in India. He used to be the President of the Supreme Court Bar Association.
CJI -: CJI stands for Chief Justice of India. The Chief Justice is the head judge of the Supreme Court of India.
suo motu -: Suo motu is a Latin term that means ‘on its own motion.’ It means that the court can take action by itself without anyone asking.
judicial officers -: Judicial officers are judges or magistrates who work in the courts to make legal decisions.
West Bengal -: West Bengal is a state in eastern India. It has its own government and courts.
judicial independence -: Judicial independence means that judges should be able to make decisions without being influenced by others, like the government or police.
POCSO Act -: The POCSO Act stands for the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. It is a law in India to protect children from sexual abuse.
Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar -: Sukanta Majumdar is a politician in India. He is a member of the government and holds a position called Union Minister.