In an unprecedented move, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy complained to the Chief Justice of India S.A. Bobde against a serving Supreme Court judge, N.V. Ramana. On the 6th of this month, the CM had submitted a letter to Bobde in which he accused the next-in-line CJI of influencing Andhra Pradesh High Court proceedings and working in the interest of his rival political party, Telugu Desam.
“Sri Justice Ramana’s proximity to Mr Chandrababu Naidu is too well-known. I am making this statement with utmost responsibility. I may only bring it to your notice that a former judge of Honourable Supreme Court Justice Chelameswar placed this fact on record with EVIDENCE. Such letter and interviews of the learned judge are in public domain and am enclosing a copy of the opinions highlighting the identity of views and expression between Sri N. Chandrababu Naidu and Sri Justice NV Ramana about the fitness of candidates considered for elevation as judges of High Court,“ read the contents of the eight-page letter which is in possession of THE WEEK.
The YSRCP chief also submitted “material” to the chief justice to prove that an alleged nexus exists between TDP and few serving judges.
“Sri Justice N.V. Ramana has been influencing the sittings of the High Court including the roster of a few Honourable Judges and instances of how matters important to Telugu Desam Party have been allocated to a few Honourable Judges are enclosed in the annexure, along with the copies of the orders passed in a few matters. The above clearly demonstrates the nexus of Sri N.V. Justice Ramana, TDP and a few Honourable Judges of the High Court.”
Referring to the recent case related to the Amaravati land scam in which a media gag order was passed by the AP High Court followed by a stay on investigation, the chief minister stated, “The same clearly demonstrates the bias in the state judiciary towards Telugu Desam Party and its interests, in the nature of the orders passed staying investigation, staying enquiry, and the rest, at the admission stage itself.”
Through the letter, the CM requested the CJI to “consider initiating such steps as may considered fit and proper, to ensure that the state’s judiciary’s neutrality is maintained.”
Incidentally, Jagan complained to the CJI on the same day he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.
The developments surrounding the actions of the state government was shared by Principal Advisor to Andhra Pradesh, Ajeya Kallam, in a rushed press meet organised on Saturday night in Vijayawada. Kallam announced before the start of the meet that he will not be able to take any questions.
He read out the statement from a note detailing the events that took place in the last few days.
The state government also released a note to the media in which it specifically mentioned court orders that allegedly “protected the interests of the TDP” and named four High Court Judges along with their alleged role in it. Citing a few cases, the Andhra Pradesh government also accused the High Court of having animosity towards the government and the chief minister.
The state government has accused the TDP of using the courts to destabilize and topple the government. According to ruling government representatives, there have been almost 100 cases related to various government decisions which have not gone in their favour in the last year-and-a-half after TDP or its supporters approached courts, which has prompted them to take this extreme step.
