Citizens' rally appeals judiciary to uphold dignity
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 14 February 2011 21:22 IST
Citizens taking silent vow
A public meeting by citizens held at Azad Maidan in Panaji today has once again demanded to immediately withdraw suspension of judge Desmond D’Costa and has also called for immediate halt to victimisation of honest and upright judges like D’Costa and Anuja Prabhudesai.
While affirming total faith in the integrity of both the judges, the meeting also demanded full transparency and observance of the principles of natural justice and due process of law in matters of judicial administration and disciplinary action.
The meeting was addressed by prominent citizens from cross sections of the society, including former bureaucrats, lawyers, academicians, writers and artists, industrialists, professionals as well as social activists and trade unionists.
Dr J C Almeida, former chief secretary of Goa, asked why upright judges like D’Costa or Prabhudesai are suspended suddenly when time comes to elevate district level judges as high court judges.
Why was there not a single complaint against them during their 20-year long careers, he asked, while smelling something fishy behind the unwarranted suspensions.
Dr Oscar Rebello, a social activist, pointed out that the citizens are fighting to uphold integrity, dignity and majesty of judiciary, the last bastion when all other pillars of Indian democracy are falling.
“This is not a battle for Desmond and Anuja. This is our battle. If they fail, we fail,” said Dr Rebello, amidst applause.
Adv Anacleto Viegas, president of South Goa Advocates’ Association, revealed at the meeting that judge D’Costa has finally been served with a chargesheet, which clearly states that the only complaint against him is the one made by South Goa Principal District and Sessions judge Utkarsh Bakre.
If so, asked Adv Viegas, why judge Bakre had told them a blatant lie that he has never made any complaint against judge D’Costa, when South Goa lawyers had marched to him asking explanation over the issue.
Mohandas Lolienkar, a former student leader, felt that the citizens’ battle should not end only with reinstatement of judge D’Costa and judge Prabhudesai but only when the forces behind it maligning these upright judges are punished.
I don't recall whether it was during the time of former Election Commissioner, T.N Seshan, but there was a tusstle as to who is the boss, from among the three Commissioners. Draw a similarity, in this situation, where a fellow judge of the same rank makes periodical reports of functioning as a principal judge, but otherwise equal in rank. I heard on media, a few leading lawyers discussing about, a separate High Court for Goa, about split personality of a judge, wherein he adjudicates as well administers, contempt proceedings whereby everyone is afraid, so to say, bell the cat and some other issues. But these are to be put in proper format rather than allowing to be perceived as miscarriage of justice to those who dispense justice themselves. Think of the mental trauma when sooner or later, they are allowed to resume work and be fair when dealing.
In a vibrant democracy-there is no place for closed door actions! The history of Independent India has shown that most of the closed door actions always stink of something done not purely in public interst.........
In a system created and supported at the tax payer's money--does the common man not have the right to know as to what is the crime and what is the punishment...??