On Monday, the Supreme Court judge, Justice UU Lalit recused from hearing a plea that sought action against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, over the press conference and his letter accusing SC judge, Justice Ramana as well as Andhra High Court Judges.
“I have difficulty, I can’t hear this matter. As a lawyer, I had represented these parties in litigation. I cannot take up this matter. Let this matter be listed at the earliest before any other judge decided by the CJI,” noted Justice UU Lalit while the plea came up before a bench also comprising of Justices Vineet Saran and Ravindra Bhat.
The court was hearing three separate petitions seeking inquiry and action against the Chief Minister for his ‘scandalizing’ remarks against the second senior-most judge of the top court, Justice NV Ramana.
Therefore, while underlining the importance of independence and the integrity of judiciary, the plea sought records of the sitting Chief Minister and to declare that he has no authority to hold his office as he is misusing the same.
“It is not permissible that the 3rd Respondent, Sh. YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who is Chief Minister of State of Andhra Pradesh holding the constitutional post by misusing his official post, power, and office of Chief Minister of State of Andhra Pradesh making false, vague, scandalized remarks and political allegation against the Senior Most Sitting judge of this Hon’ble Court openly in the public and media after sending a communication to the Chief Justice of India,” read the plea.
Further, the petitioners who are advocates namely GS Mani, Pradeep Kumar Yadav and Sunil Kumar Singh and NGO Anti-Corruption Council of India Trust have submitted that the allegations leveled by CM Jagan against Justice Ramana are baseless. They have also highlighted that Jagan is facing over 20 criminal cases.
Also, while seeking a judicial inquiry by an internal committee headed by sitting or retired judges of the Supreme Court or any authority including the Central Bureau of Investigation, into the allegations raised by the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, the plea asked the top court to issue a show cause to CM Jagan.
“By the conduct of Reddy, the faith of the public at large is shaken. Because his conduct is nothing but an attempt to de-stabilize the duly established democratic setup of our country,” stated the petition. Further, the plea contended that “the act of CM Jagan calls for immediate action from this court to tackle this unprecedented situation.”
Guidelines may be framed to tackle and handle such irresponsible activities, the plea asserted.
