Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday claimed at the 50th anniversary function of the Delhi High Court, to have "overheard" judges expressing concern about their phones being "tapped".
Mr. Kejriwal dropped the bombshell during his address at Vigyan Bhawan here where Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Delhi High Court Chief Justice G. Rohini were present. The audience had an assemblage of High Court judges, judicial officers, bureaucrats and dignitaries.
Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad refuted Mr. Kejriwal's allegation that judges' phones were under government surveillance.
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Mr. Kejriwal had said that it would be an assault on democracy and independence of judiciary if judges' phones are tapped.
"I deny with all the authority under my command that there has not been any tapping of the phones of judges," Mr. Prasad said.
"Let me as Law Minister make it clear that our fight for the independence of judiciary is fundamental and irrefutable," Mr. Prasad emphasised in his address.
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Mr. Kejriwal said he came to know that the names recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium for judicial appointments to High Courts have been pending with the Centre for the past nine months. He said the Centre should not interfere with the work of the Collegium.
He said the power of the people should not be concentrated in one person, this would give rise to dictatorship in a country.
The Chief Minister, who was congratulated by Chief Justice Thakur at the event for extending infrastructutal supprt to the judiciary, said such yawning vacancies in the judiciary was a matter of concern.
Mr. Kejriwal said delay in judicial appointments would only give rise to more rumours about an estrangement between the government and the judiciary.
Mr. Prasad countered that government and judiciary was making every effort to expedite the judicial appointments issue. This is two days after Chief Justice Thakur expressed acute disappointment in the Centre's attitude towards clearing the names recommended for judicial appointments, observing "nothing is happening, your officials are sitting on the names".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his address by paying his respects to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 141st anniversary. Mr. Modi said that Patel’s contribution to the country was towards its unification.
In his address, Mr. Modi said a debate should be initiated among lawyers and judges for the All India Judicial Services. The government had proposed the revival of the All India Judicial Services mechanism, which involves a rigorous examination conducted by the UPSC for selection of district judges.
Mr. Modi said there has been great encouragement from both lawyers and judges on the advent of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms like arbitration, mediation and conciliation, etc.
The Prime Minister sought an increase in judicial awareness among the public so that they safeguard their rights.