Selection of judges

The CJI has asked the Chief Justices of the high courts to recommend the names of persons to be elevated as judges. We need to appoint judges with care. Only those with sound legal acumen, excellent command over the language and having impeccable integrity should be appointed. The collegium system is not transparent because in the recent past, some judges have been appointed on political and extraneous considerations. An unscrupulous advocate can hardly be an upright judge. The quality of our judges and their judgments have gone down. The duty of the court is to apply correct law, especially when the law is well settled. The CJI has blamed the inaction of the executive for litigations galore. However, the judiciary is equally responsible for inordinate delays. India Judicial Services and a National Judicial Council are the need of the hour.

Anil Bhatia, Hisar

Judicial delays

The CJI and the PM have expressed their views on the revamping of our judicial system, including speedy justice. The CJI has stated that he would consider resuming the hearing of the petitions challenging the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A after summer vacation. One of the judges on the five-member Bench hearing the case has retired, and if the hearing is to resume in July, the CJI, who is heading the Bench, may also have to be substituted with another judge, as he is to retire in August. There are several constitutional cases that are awaiting hearing. At a time when SC’s intervention in defence of the Constitution and fundamental rights of citizens is most essential, this record of judicial delay is most disheartening.

SK Khosla, Chandigarh

Threat to secularism

Apropos of the article ‘The religiosity of hate’, this disturbing culture of hating other religions will harm the fine fabric of social harmony. It is a very sorry state of affairs. We were once proud of our secular credentials, but now, it feels like a blot. The writer has rightly felt the need of having the likes of Rumi, Kabir and Gandhi to once again guide our society.

Pardeep Kumar Joshi, Ropar

Politics of hate

In response to a letter written by 108 former bureaucrats and other signatories under the Constitutional Conduct Group calling for intervention to end the politics of hate, 197 former bureaucrats, judges and other figures, as Concerned Citizens, have accused the CCG of selective outrage and attempt to engineer hate against the powers that be. Politics of hate is an open secret, as is borne out by the SC order to the UP Government to refund the penalties on Muslims; hate speeches and the recent SC directive to Himachal and Uttarakhand governments to clamp down on hate-mongers. Polarisation of polity on religious lines and the silence of the top echelon speaks volumes about the reality of the situation.

Prem Singh Dahiya, Rohtak

History as it should be

The Centre has left no stone unturned to switch the public narrative to suit the BJP’s ideology. Change in school syllabus will be catastrophic. Chapters on Industrial Revolution, Cold War era, Non-Aligned Movement, democracy and diversity, etc., have been removed under the false banner of ‘rationalisation’ of syllabus. The attempt to cover some major historical developments and political concepts will not only present an incomplete picture about India and the world, but also force students to think in a certain way, limiting their learning of the states and societies. Students should be given full version of history, as it is, and not as it should be according to a political faction.

Rajdeep Singh, Jalandhar

Long wait for salaries

Successive governments have failed to provide enough financial strength to government institutes in Punjab, rather private institutions have been favoured more, even by going against rules (Refer to ‘College staff sans salary for 3 years’). But this case needs serious attention. The government must release the salaries immediately as it is the right of the employees. It is vital to probe the issue and punish those responsible for it.

Rajeshwar Chaudhary, DHURI

Desperate for jobs

A sense of despair among the youth is a stark commentary on the way they are being treated (‘Losing all hopes about jobs’). Pervasive unemployment is leading to indifference of students in classrooms. Respect for education and educators is disappearing. This has further aggravated the law and order problem. Job opportunities need to be created to tap the power and potential of the youth.

Rajiv Arora, Amritsar

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