Bar Council wants judges to avoid post-retirement jobs

New Delhi, Oct 1: The Bar Council of India (BCI) has spoken out over its apprehension that the promise of post-retirement jobs has made the judges issue order against lawyers' strikes. It said in a press release that this is done at the behest of influential people in the government. The release, signed by BCI chairman Manan Kumar Mishra said the concern was shared openly during a recent council meeting that took place between the bar councils and associations.

"The meeting openly discussed and opined that some powerful people, sitting in the Government, (which is the largest litigant), have been controlling our Judges by giving them assurances to keep them engaged after their superannuation. And since the Bar is supposed to be the mouthpiece and voice of the people, the Judiciary is being used to throttle and shut its mouth," the release said.

The release also said the tendency becomes apparent from the manner in which some of the judges humiliate the lawyers in courtrooms.

"The Bar in its joint meeting unanimously felt that some of the Judges feel pleasure in humiliating the Lawyers and passing uncalled-for, unnecessary remarks against members or leaders of the Bar. This has become a fashion nowadays..."

The statutory body of lawyers said in a resolution that the outgoing Chief Justice Dipak Mishra should follow the example of former judges Justice Chelameswar and Justice Kurian Joseph who have declared that they would not accept any government job post retirement.