PRATHIPADU (East Godavari): Taking a leaf out of the book of eminent lawyer and former law minister Shanti Bhushan who raised doubts about the integrity of some former chief justices of India (CJIs), a senior advocate of Prathipadu has sought high court action against eight subordinate judges for indulging in corrupt practices.
The advocate, A V Gurunadh, who is also a campaigner against judicial corruption, said, "The common man approaches the subordinate courts to seek early justice. But there are several judges of subordinate courts who are awfully corrupt. If the muck in the subordinate courts is not cleaned by the respective state HC, then there is no sanctity to the order of the CJI on the removal of corrupt judges in subordinate courts across the country," Gurunadh added.
Based on the CJI direction (dated Sept. 14, 2008) that any judicial officer who is unfit, ineffective and incompetent or has doubtful integrity could be retired from service, the advocate sought information from the inquiry wings/judicial committees on the eight subordinate judges. He had filed an appeal before the Appellate Authority (AA) under the RTI Act of 2005 and sought details from the state public information officer-cum-registrar (judicial).
Gurunadh said he also sought information as to under which legislation or regulation that an inquiry on the `corrupt' judicial officer would be conducted. "The inquiry wings or disciplinary committees of HC which conduct the probe are supposed to provide information as public interest is involved in it," he felt.
Sources said though the AA had directed the SPIO (judicial) to furnish information to the appellant on or before July 31 this year, the SPIO had replied to the advocate that information relating to the subordinate judges was strictly confidential and that it was not permissible to furnish information to a third party.
The advocate, A V Gurunadh, who is also a campaigner against judicial corruption, said, "The common man approaches the subordinate courts to seek early justice. But there are several judges of subordinate courts who are awfully corrupt. If the muck in the subordinate courts is not cleaned by the respective state HC, then there is no sanctity to the order of the CJI on the removal of corrupt judges in subordinate courts across the country," Gurunadh added.
Based on the CJI direction (dated Sept. 14, 2008) that any judicial officer who is unfit, ineffective and incompetent or has doubtful integrity could be retired from service, the advocate sought information from the inquiry wings/judicial committees on the eight subordinate judges. He had filed an appeal before the Appellate Authority (AA) under the RTI Act of 2005 and sought details from the state public information officer-cum-registrar (judicial).
Gurunadh said he also sought information as to under which legislation or regulation that an inquiry on the `corrupt' judicial officer would be conducted. "The inquiry wings or disciplinary committees of HC which conduct the probe are supposed to provide information as public interest is involved in it," he felt.
Sources said though the AA had directed the SPIO (judicial) to furnish information to the appellant on or before July 31 this year, the SPIO had replied to the advocate that information relating to the subordinate judges was strictly confidential and that it was not permissible to furnish information to a third party.
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