In a recent case, Justice R.P. Sethi of the Supreme Court observed as follows: “In a country like ours where people consider judges only second to God, efforts be made to strengthen that belief of the common man... For the faults of a few, the glorious and glittering name of the judiciary cannot be permitted to be made ugly.” In fact, this precisely is the mandate of the judicial dharma.

ANSHUL JOY, Chandigarh

PINNING HOPES: This refers to Mr Hari Jaisingh’s front-page editorial “A question of judicial dharma” (September 1). Since Independence one had heard about monetary scandals by politicians, running into crores of rupees, but not about the massive money-for-job rackets, as happened in the Punjab Public Service Commission recently. True, one has never heard or seen any scandal-monger or scamster getting exemplary punishment. Once a politician is elected or gets fresh mandate from the electorate, all his sins of omission and commission are washed away. Perhaps political power covers up all their misdeeds and taint of corruption signifying that power corrupts but absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Unemployment is the most pressing problem of this country. For an educated youth, having low merit, it is very difficult to secure a job. Those having high merit could hope to get a suitable job through the State Public Service Commissions or State Subordinate Services Selection Boards or the Union Public Service Commission. Now the scam-tainted Punjab Public Service Commission has dashed the hopes of genuine and meritorious job-seekers to the ground. The recent happenings in the PPSC have lowered the reputation of Public Service Commissions or Subordinate Services Selection Boards in the public eye. If not impossible, certainly it is very difficult to restore the people’s faith in them. The Tribune Editor rightly holds: “One wrong step may give sanctity to a wrong act but the damage to the institutional reputation in the process will be irreparable.”

For transparency and accountability, the scamsters ought to be punished — without any rivalry or political vendetta — to restore the people’s faith and confidence in the institution of the Public Service Commission. In the prevailing circumstances, one can only pin hope on the country’s judiciary, when scams and scandals have become so rampant.

IQBAL SINGH, Bijhari (HP)

DEFINE IT AFRESH: This has reference to Mr Hari Jaisingh’s editorial (September 1). We, the people of India, have adopted the present Constitution with a clear declaration that we shall give to our people transparency in each and every activity of the government. This includes transparency in justice and the enforcement of judicial ethics and accountability. What is contempt of court ‘must be defined afresh so that this term could get a suitable place in the minds of the people living in the present democratic set-up.

Every one should be made accountable to the people of this country who are the real masters and every one whosoever is on the ‘pay roll’ must be defined as a public servant and is answerable to the people of this country. People may be allowed to file complaints against the judges which should be heard by a special Bench of the higher courts, though we can ban such discussions in the media and elsewhere.

IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION: Mr Hari Jaisingh’s front-page editorial “A question of judicial dharma” (September 1) is timely and in the right direction. He seems to be anxious to root out corruption from all the three wings including the judiciary. The credit for exposing the recruitment scandal goes to the Punjab Chief Minister. He must be trying his best but he obviously has limitations. Mr Hari Jaisingh and The Tribune have kept the issue alive. Otherwise the “Operation Clean Up” would have died a slow death.

The PPSC scandal is not a new phenomenon. It has continued for decades together. People recruited earlier are now in a position to change the course of investigation and inquiries because they themselves are in position of power due to unexposed recruitment scams. The Chief Minister will be helpless. Corruption is as much in vogue now as was during the Akali regime, especially in the lower rungs of the police and revenue departments. Even at the district level, the administration has slowed down in taking action against corrupt subordinates.

The Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court withdrew work from some High Court judges. Work has been withdrawn from subordinate judges tainted by the scandal. The confidence of the public was revived in the judicial system. Now the work has been restored to the High Court judges. If work is to be restored to the subordinate judges also, it should be done at the earliest as work is suffering in their absence. If the rule is to keep only those persons as judges with a clean slate, why the promotion of some judicial officers has been withheld since long?

Availing the services of retired bureaucrats, judicial officers and others as advised by the Chief Justice of India, Justice B.N. Kirpal, at Hoshiarpur will not be in the best interest of society. The retired people cannot stand the stress. If people’s confidence is to be restored in the administration including judicial administration, drastic measures are needed.

TEJ BAHADUR PURI, Kapurthala