Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI It was Justice Sam Piroj Bharucha who, as CJI, had admitted there was corruption in the judiciary.On Dec 22, 2002, he had told an audience at Kollam in Kerala that “more than 80% of judges in this country, across the board, are honest and incorruptible. It is that smaller percentage that brings the entire judiciary into disrepute”.After CJI Surya Kant on Wednesday took suo motu cognisance of NCERT’s Class VIII textbook containing reference to corruption in the judiciary and termed it a “very calculated and deep-rooted conspiracy to malign judiciary”, the step was welcomed by former CJI N V Ramana.Justice Ramana said, “Should students with impressionable minds be taught about something based on corridor gossip? What is the basis on which NCERT is attempting to defame the institution and demoralise judges?”When told that ex-CJI Bharucha had mentioned corruption, Justice Ramana said, “A loose comment by a former CJI cannot become the basis to teach it as gospel truth to students. It is not proper. CJI Surya Kant has done the right thing by taking suo motu cognisance of the matter.”Justice Bharucha had said, “To make it known that the judiciary does not tolerate corruption in its ranks, it is requisite that corrupt judges should be investigated and dismissed from service.” CJI B R Gavai in June 2025 admitted, in the wake of the seizure of a huge amount of cash from the official reside-nce of Justice Yashwant Varma, that instances of corruption adversely impacted public faith in the judicial system. Speaking on ‘Maintaining Judicial Legitimacy and Public Confidence’ at the UK supreme court on June 3 last year, Justice Gavai said, “Sadly, there have been instances of corruption and misconduct that have surfaced even within the judiciary. Such incidents inevitably have a negative impact on public confidence, potentially eroding faith in the integrity of the system.”In Nov 2010, SC in its order in ‘Raja Khan vs UP Sunni Central Waqf Board” had said something was “rotten” in Allahabad HC. “We are sorry to say a lot of complaints are coming against certain judges…,” it said. “Some judges have their kith and kin practising in the same court, and, within a few years of starting practice, the sons or relations of the judge become multi-millionaires, have huge bank balances, luxurious cars, huge houses and are enjoying a luxurious life,” SC had said.In Aug 2023, then Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot had stirred a hornet’s nest by alleging that there was “rampant corruption in the judiciary”. When Rajasthan HC took cognisance of a PIL seeking action against Gehlot for his remarks, the CM swiftly tendered an unconditional apology while reposing “full faith in the judiciary”.
