Modi asks Indian judiciary to introspect, cautions about 5-star activists

Amid growing judicial activism, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has exhorted the judiciary to have an internal mechanism for “self assessment and introspection” on their “divine” duty of giving out justice as per India’s constitution and laws. He urged Chief Justice of India H. L. Dattu and other judges to be cautions whether the verdicts were “perceptions driven”, especially if these were sourced from “five-star activist”.

Speaking at the inaugural edition of the joint conference of state chief ministers, high court chief justices and country’s other top judges on April 5, the prime minister said, “the judiciary is not as fearless today as it used to be ten years back. Are five-star activists not driving the judiciary? Are they not attempting to do so? Judges fear what the reaction of five-star activists would be when they render justice as per law and as per Constitution.”

“It is never too difficult to deliver justice within the boundaries of the law and constitution. But it is very difficult to find the truth between perception and reality. It must be pondered over whether five-star activists are driving the judiciary today… if havoc is created to drive the judiciary. It has become difficult to deliver justice in an atmosphere of perception.”

Speaking about the people’s faith in judiciary system in India, he underlined that the judiciary was considered divine, next only to god. “If the government makes a mistake, there is a forum of correction; but if Indian judiciary makes a mistake, nothing will survive. A dynamic mechanism needs to be developed in order to ensure we evolve as a system. If we fail, people of India will lose faith in this institution.”

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