In the most shocking incident, a woman judge narrated her ordeal to the Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud through a letter. The woman judge from Uttar Pradesh’s Banda district sought permission for euthanasia (intentionally ending life to eliminate pain and suffering).
Taking note of the complaint, CJI Chandrachud has directed to send a communication to Allahabad High Court to know the status of all the complaints filed by a woman judicial officer alleging sexual harassment by a District Judge.
The Supreme Court’s Secretary General received a phone call late last night, notifying them that the acting Chief Justice of the High Court has acknowledged the open letter. An overnight deadline was imposed on the High Court to gather all relevant information.
In the letter, the woman judge stated that she wants to end her life because of the abuse and harassment.
Reportedly, the civil judge, in her letter, expressed that she was reaching out to her “most senior guardian” with a sense of “intense anguish and hopelessness.” She recounted instances of facing injustice and raised concerns about her ability to dispense justice to others while experiencing personal pain.
“I joined the Judicial Service with much enthusiasm and the belief that I would dispense justice to the common folk. What did I know that I will be soon rendered a beggar for justice on every door that I go. In the short time of my service, I have had the rare honour of being abused (the dreaded Hindi mother curse word) on dias in open court,” the letter said.
“I have been sexually harassed to the very limit. I have been treated like utter garbage. I feel like an unwanted insect. And I hoped to provide justice to others. What naive me!” she wrote.
She added, “I wish to tell all the working women in India: Learn to live with sexual harassment. It’s a truth of our lives. The Protection of Women from Sexual Harassment, Act (2013) is a big wholesome lie.”
“No one listens, no one bothers. If you complain, you will be tortured. Be submissive. And, when I mean no one listens, that includes the Supreme Court. You will get eight seconds of hearing, an insult and a threat to impose costs. You will be pushed to commit suicide. And if you are lucky (unlike me), your first attempt at suicide will be successful. If any of the women think that you will fight against the system, let me tell you, I could not,” the letter reads.
The female judge stated that a district judge had requested a nighttime meeting with her. Despite filing a complaint with the Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court and the Administrative Judge in 2022, no action has been taken to date. Subsequently, in July 2023, she lodged a complaint with the Internal Complaints Committee of the High Court.
“It took six months and a thousand emails just to start an enquiry. The proposed enquiry is also a farce and a sham. The witnesses in the enquiry are immediate subordinates of the district judge. How the committee expects the witnesses to depose against their boss is beyond my understanding,” she stated in the letter.
The judge asserted that she had requested the transfer of the district judge while the inquiry was ongoing, aiming for a fair investigation of the facts. However, she added that the Supreme Court dismissed the petition in a mere eight seconds.
She added, “It is even more surprising that this dismissal happened after the High Court had observed that the judicial aspect of the inquiry was being influenced.”
“Just one sentence and DISMISSED. I felt like my life, my dignity and my soul have been DISMISSED. It felt like a personal humiliation. The enquiry will now be conducted with the District Judge being in control of all the witnesses. We all know the fate of such an enquiry. What Justice will I give to others when I am myself hopeless? I have no will to live anymore. There is no purpose in carrying this soulless and lifeless body around anymore. There is no purpose left in my life. Kindly permit me to end my life in a dignified way. Let my life be: DISMISSED,” the letter reads.
