NEW DELHI: The chief justice of India KG Balakrishnan has sent letters to chief justices of all high courts asking them to get rid of tainted lower court judges by offering them voluntary retirement.
Much before the process for judging the judges takes concrete shape, the CJI and the Central Information Commission, the statutory body enabling citizens to secure vital information about people in power or in governance, have stepped in to bring more transparency in the judicial system.
The CJI's communique, dispatched on Tuesday, is in the backdrop of the multi-crore scam Uttar Pradesh provident fund scam allegedly involving 34 judges and the cash-by-courier scam that rocked the Punjab and Haryana high court.
Justice Balakrishnan has said such a measure could be taken after reviewing the service records of judicial officers when they attain the age of 50 and 55 years with a view to weeding out those with doubtful integrity.
The letter urges CJs to take appropriate steps to remove judges of subordinate courts who are found "indolent, infirm or with doubtful integrity, reputation and utility.
"Premature retirement, as you know is not a stigma and no civil consequences will follow such retirement," says the CJI.
Earlier, the CJI had allowed the CBI to interrogate judges in the treasury scam and in the cash-by-courier scam. Around the same time, he also recommended to the Prime Minister impeachment proceedings against Calcutta HC judge Soumitra Sen for alleged financial misconduct.
