AGENCIES
A group of 18 retired judges, including several former Supreme Court justices, have strongly objected to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent remarks targeting Vice-Presidential candidate and retired SC judge B Sudershan Reddy over the 2011 Salwa Judum judgment. They described Shah’s comments as “unfortunate” and cautioned against the politicisation of judicial decisions.
Shah had accused Reddy of “helping Naxalism” through the verdict that declared the use of tribal youth as Special Police Officers unconstitutional, claiming Maoist violence would have ended by 2020 without the ruling.
The retired judges dismissed this interpretation, stating that the Supreme Court judgment did not endorse Maoist ideology in any form. They expressed concern that such “prejudicial misinterpretation” by a senior political leader could intimidate the judiciary and erode its independence.
They also urged respect for constitutional offices during political campaigns, saying it is inappropriate to resort to personal attacks or name-calling against candidates, especially for high offices like the Vice-Presidency.
The statement was signed by seven former Supreme Court judges, three former Chief Justices of High Courts, and other retired judges, along with senior advocate Sanjay Hegde and academic Mohan Gopal.
In response, Justice (retd.) Reddy declined to engage directly with Shah, stating the verdict was that of the Supreme Court as an institution, not his alone, and suggesting that a full reading of the judgment would clarify its intent.