Mend your ways or face more Anna-like protests: SC-August 30, 2011

New Delhi

Mend your ways or face more Anna-like protests: SC

Press Trust Of India

New Delhi, August 30, 2011

First Published: 22:26 IST(30/8/2011)
Last Updated: 23:21 IST(30/8/2011)

The Supreme Court on Tuesday gave a veiled warning to the government of possible Anna Hazare-like protests in "worse" form and took potshots over criticisism that standards of judiciary had gone down in recent times. The bench of justices G S Singhvi and H L Dattu made the
comments when they were irked over the failure of government to furnish adequate details in a service dispute.

"But what about the Government. Their officers do not give proper information and briefs to the counsel. Take another 10 years, people will teach you a lesson. Three days back you have witnessed it. It will be much worse," the bench told Additional Solicitor General P P Malhotra.

The oblique reference was to the recent nation-wide protests for Jan Lokpal Bill culminating in the unprecedented action of Parliament agreeing to consider three crucial points raised by Team Anna Hazare.

The bench regretted that it has become a common practice for Government officers of not giving sufficient details or material to their counsel resulting in precious loss of time.

The bench then turned to some comments made recently on the prevailing judicial standards in the country and criticism made about them.

It suggested that instead of commenting on the judiciary it was time Goverment did some introspection as to how its own officers were functioning.

"We have seen some enlightened people making comments that the standards of judiciary have gone down. Let those people cry from roof tops that the standards of judiciary have gone down."

In the present case, the Centre has challenged a Guwahati High Court order directing it to grant enhanced pay structures to various Government employees.

According to the goverment, the order if implemented would entail a huge financial burden on the exchequer running into several crores of rupeees.