CM Jaganmohan Reddy overstepped his 'Lakshman Rekha': Justice Sodhi

By targeting the judiciary, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy overstepped his Lakshman Rekha and broke his own oath of safeguarding the law says former judge of Delhi High Court, Justice RS Sodhi in an interview to Krishnanand Tripathi, Deputy News Editor of ETV Bharat.

New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy overstepped his Lakshman Rekha by targeting the judiciary and broke his own oath of safeguarding the law, said a former judge of Delhi High Court, adding that of late it has become a trend to attack the judiciary in the country as it can’t defend itself in the media.

“This chief minister has overstepped his Lakshman Rekha. He does not know the simple protocols. He does not know how to address a letter; he does not know who to address the letter. He does not know that the press is not your forum or your stepping-stone for sending officials or demi-official letters amongst the dignitaries,” said Justice RS Sodhi, a former judge of Delhi High Court.

Justice Sodhi, who retired from Delhi High Court in November 2007, is well known for his judgements in high profile cases such as murder of Jessica Lal, Naina Sahni (Tandoor case) and Priyadarshini Mattoo case, says it has become a fashion to attack the judiciary in some way or the other.

“Of late, targeting the judiciary has become a norm of the day which is not only incorrect, it's highly dangerous because this is the only pillar of the constitution which has no police force, no army or anybody else to defend itself and it does not come on television to keep answering allegations or whatever is thrown at it,” Justice Sodhi told ETV Bharat in an exclusive interaction.

Commenting on the recent controversy involving Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy’s letter addressed to the Chief Justice of India in which the politician levelled serious allegation against a sitting Supreme Court judge SV Ramanna, Justice Sodhi said the courts are duty-bound to scrutinise every action of the government under the constitutional framework and speedily deliver the verdict.

Justice Sodhi said that every action of the government, be it innocuous or be it spectacular, is answerable before the court.

“If a chief minister does not know this much, I wonder how he reached this position. He has so much bureaucracy to advise him as to how to proceed in such matters. Either he has not taken advice or he is absolutely ill-informed,” Justice Sodhi said while commenting on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister’s decision to write a letter to the Chief Justice of India, which was leaked in the media.

Justice Sodhi also rejected the perception that Andhra Pradesh High Court was influenced in such a manner to destabilise Jaganmohan Reddy’s government.

“The high court has got nothing to do with the government, which government comes or goes, the high court will remain the high court. And the High Court's duty is to keep you in checks and balances, to hold you back, to ensure that you do not lose your mind. That's all that is what the High Court is doing,” said the former Delhi High Court judge.

“It doesn't make any difference to the High Court that who comes as a chief minister or goes as a chief minister, which political party comes to the power or which political party lost the faith. Please tell this chief minister that the High Court has got no axe to grind,” he told ETV Bharat.

While referring to an order passed by a bench of Supreme Court led by Justice SV Ramanna which pushed for fast-tracking of pending criminal cases against politicians, the former Delhi High Court judge said why anyone should have any problem in speedy delivery of justice.

It was speculated in some media reports that Justice Ramanna’s decision to fast track hearing of cases pending against politicians might have triggered the Andhra Chief Minister’s outburst against the judiciary as he faces several court cases.

“In this particular case, if the Supreme Court has set into motion a system where lawmakers can be dealt with expeditiously or the cases against them can be dealt with expeditiously. The Supreme Court did not say: punish them all, the Supreme Court did not say how to do it, each case is going to be dependent on its own facts. You are going to be given full chance like everybody else is given so what is wrong, how are you so aggrieved with that?" asked the former High Court Judge.