Bar should belong to those who know law, not judges: Mahesh Jethmalani on judicial credibility crisis
Senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani raised serious concerns about declining credibility within India's judiciary on Monday at the Ram Jethmalani Memorial Lecture in New Delhi. He highlighted the scandal involving former Justice Yashwant Varma, opacity in collegium appointments, absence of a complaints database against judges, corruption in tribunals, and systemic delays.
Jethmalani specifically criticised the role of "fixer lawyers" in perpetuating judicial problems. He referenced the cash-at-home scandal involving Justice Varma, a former Allahabad and Delhi High Court judge, where burnt currency notes were discovered during a fire at his residence—an incident that significantly eroded public confidence in the judiciary.
The event was attended by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, and senior lawyer Harish Salve. Jethmalani cited data showing public confidence in the judiciary fell from 60-70% in 2017 to lower levels following the controversy.
