Ensure there’s no political bias in judiciary, Mamata Banerjee tells judges

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday requested judges of the Supreme Court, high court and lower courts at a programme in Kolkata to ensure that the judiciary is free from any political biasedness.

“My humble request to all of you. This is my kind submission. Please see that there is no political biasedness in the judiciary. Judiciary must be pure. Absolutely pure. Honest and sacred,” Banerjee said.

She was addressing a programme organised by the National Judicial Academy and the Calcutta high court. The program was attended by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and chief justice of the Calcutta high court TS Sivagnanam among others.

“If the judiciary can’t help the common citizens, where will they get the justice? When there are any atrocities, we think with great hope that only the judiciary can solve the problem. We think that the judiciary is the biggest pillar which will help to save democracy and the Constitution,” she added.

Also Read | Bengal Governor files defamation case against chief minister Mamata Banerjee

In the run up to the Lok Sabha polls, top leaders of the ruling Trinamool Congress, including the party supremo, had often alleged that a section of the judiciary was acting under the influence of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders.

“I want to assure all eligible individuals who lost their jobs that the TMC will stand beside them during these challenging times. We will not allow any deserving candidate to suffer. This move by a section of the judiciary, seemingly influenced by the BJP, is condemnable,” Abhishek Banerjee, TMC national general secretary, had said while addressing a rally in East Midnapore during the Lok Sabha polls.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had slammed the TMC from a rally for attacking the judiciary over the recent verdict of the Calcutta high court on scrapping of OBC certificates awarded by the Mamata Banerjee government.

“I want to ask the TMC whether they would now unleash its goons on the judges. The entire nation is seeing how the TMC is throttling the judiciary,” Modi said while addressing a BJP rally in North 24 Parganas.

Also Read | ‘Never faced political pressure in 24 years as a judge’: CJI Chandrachud

CJI Chandrachud said, “All of judges know that in the worst of criminal cases that come before us, we have a human being who is before us. Even when we exercise the power of sentencing, we do that with a sense of compassion, just as we do it with a sense of duty to the family of the victim who has been wronged.”

He said: “Constitutional morality is not just the key to the judges of the Supreme Court and high courts, but the district judiciary itself. The engagement of the common citizens begins first and foremost with the district judiciary. The Supreme Court is the last resort not withstanding Article 32”

He added, “The Supreme Court has given 37,000 judgements since Independence. We are translating the judgements in every language recognised by the Constitution. Till date 51,000 translations have been done.”

Banerjee also took a swipe at the BJP-led Centre saying that the funds, which the Union government earlier used to spend to set up fast-track courts, have been stopped.

“Earlier the Centre used to provide assistance for fast-track courts. Around eight years ago the facility was withdrawn. We are the only state to run 88 fast track courts. At least 55 are women fast track courts,” she added.

The BJP has hit back at the TMC supremo saying that the TMC has no moral right as it had been attacking the judiciary.

“She has no moral right. Throughout the year, the TMC malign and attack the judiciary. Posters were put up on the boundary walls of houses of judges to defame them. The party goes to the supreme court to shield criminals at the cost of public money. TMC doesn’t believe in democracy and have no faith in judiciary and the Constitution,” said Samik Bhattacharya, BJP spokesperson.