Hon'ble CJI, Supreme Court of India
Before playing to the lobby advocates and issuing notice to CBSE / NCERT or Education Minister on some chapter dealing with corruption in Court, kindly refresh your memory with some remarks by Retired Supreme Court Judges on Corruption in Indian High Courts and Supreme Court reported widely in the Media:
Retired Supreme Court judges have occasionally spoken out about corruption and ethical lapses within the higher judiciary, often highlighting systemic issues like lack of transparency, political influence, and inadequate accountability mechanisms. Below is a compiled list of notable remarks, organized by judge, with key quotes and context.
1. Justice Ruma Pal (retired in 2006): In a 2011 lecture, she outlined what she termed the "seven sins" plaguing the higher judiciary, including both High Courts and the Supreme Court. These sins encompass turning a blind eye to colleagues' injudicious conduct, hypocrisy in upholding judicial independence while distorting it, secrecy in judicial appointments, plagiarism and verbose judgments, personal and professional arrogance to mask indiscipline, and nepotism where favors are exchanged for personal gain. She emphasized that these issues erode public confidence and called for greater transparency in judicial processes.
2. Justice Markandey Katju (retired in 2011): He has been vocal about corruption in the higher judiciary. In 2014, he alleged that three former Chief Justices of India made "improper compromises" to extend the term of a corrupt additional judge in the Madras High Court due to political pressure from a UPA ally. He also stated in a judgment that "something is rotten in the Allahabad High Court" and claimed that "50 percent of the higher judiciary is corrupt." Katju criticized Chief Justices for reluctance to expose corruption, fearing it would defame the judiciary, and revealed instances where phone tapping exposed High Court judges' corruption. He argued that suppressing such disclosures causes more harm than the corruption itself.
3. Justice Jasti Chelameswar (retired in 2018): As one of four senior judges who held a historic 2018 press conference, he accused the then-Chief Justice of selectively assigning cases to influence outcomes, implying bias and potential corruption in the Supreme Court. He remarked that "higher courts are corrupted" and warned that if the judiciary weakens, "nobody in this country will be safe." Chelameswar also described insensitivity to human misery as a form of corruption and highlighted how high-priced lawyers and fixers contribute to judicial corruption. He himself had degraded the status of SC by holding a controversial press conference and later shaking hands with CPI Leader D Raja.
4. Justice Madan B. Lokur (retired in 2018): In 2025 statements, he said "judicial corruption erodes public faith in the legal system and poses a significant threat to the rule of law," pointing to politically motivated executive inaction against ideologically aligned judges as a form of corruption. He noted corruption exists at the High Court level based on reports but not at the Supreme Court, and advocated for independent mechanisms to address it. Lokur stressed compulsory asset declarations for judges as essential for transparency, criticizing low disclosure rates among High Court judges. As part of the 2018 press conference quartet, he echoed concerns about institutional threats from bias and external pressures.
5. Justice A.P. Shah (retired Chief Justice of Delhi and Madras High Courts, elevated to SC discussions but primarily HC; context from broader remarks): While not directly a retired SC judge, his views align with peers; however, focusing on confirmed SC retirees.
6. Justice Deepak Gupta (retired in 2020): In group statements with other retirees, he has flagged external attempts to undermine judicial integrity amid corruption cases, though specifics focus more on political interference than internal corruption.
7. Former Chief Justice B.R. Gavai (retired by 2025): In 2025 remarks, he stated that "instances of corruption and misconduct within the judiciary have a negative impact on public confidence," emphasizing that rebuilding trust requires "swift, decisive and transparent action." He highlighted ethical concerns with judges accepting post-retirement government appointments, calling it a conflict that invites scrutiny and erodes impartiality.
8. Justice Kurian Joseph (retired in 2018): Part of the 2018 press conference, he warned that democracy's survival depends on preserving judicial equanimity, implying corruption and bias in case assignments threaten the institution. He has criticized post-retirement judicial appointments as raising ethical issues.
9. Justice Ranjan Gogoi (retired in 2019, former CJI): In collective remarks with peers, he has addressed broader institutional corruption, though his post-retirement Rajya Sabha nomination drew criticism for potential conflicts.
10. Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul (retired in 2023): In 2024 group letters with 20 other retired judges, he expressed concerns over attempts to undermine the judiciary through political pressure in corruption cases, stressing the need to protect judicial independence.
These remarks often stem from public lectures, interviews, or press conferences, reflecting concerns about internal corruption, political influence, and the need for reforms like asset disclosures and transparent inquiries. Not all retired judges agree on the extent; some, like Justice Lokur, limit it to "black sheep" in High Courts.
Advocates are also part of Justice Delivery System or the Court. Advocate Dr Abhishek Manu Singhavi is not free from any controversy, particularly a notorious sex CD doing rounds on YouTube. Advocate Kapil Sibal has dedicated clientele from terrorists, naxalites and corrupt politicians. He is known to have forced SC open at midnight in Teesta Setalvad bail case and Islamic Terrorist Yakub Memon death sentence. Some former CJIs have come down heavily on the unethical practices followed by the Lobby Advocates. This is also corruption of a different kind.
Instead of crying hoarse
against some chapter on corruption in judiciary, cleanse the rot in the system
that is talked about by the Judges themselves.
You cannot claim 100% that there is no corruption in Judiciary.
Or CAN YOU?
Ignore the Chapter and concentrate on cleansing the system.
