Retired Judges Criticize Amit Shah’s Remarks on Sudershan Reddy as Misguided and Prejudicial
A group of 18 retired judges claimed that the "prejudicial misinterpretation" of the top court's ruling by a high-ranking political official is likely to have a chilling effect on the justices.
A group of senior judges has called Home Minister Amit Shah's attack on Opposition Vice-Presidential candidate B Sudershan Reddy over the Salwa Judum decision "unfortunate" and that it would be prudent to avoid "name-calling".
A group of senior judges has called Home Minister Amit Shah's attack on Opposition Vice-Presidential candidate B Sudershan Reddy over the Salwa Judum decision "unfortunate" and that it would be prudent to avoid "name-calling".
The group of 18 retired judges, which includes former Supreme Court justices Kurien Joseph, Madan B. Lokur, and J. Chelameswar, also stated that "prejudicial misinterpretation" of the top court's ruling by a high-ranking political functionary is likely to chill its judges.
Mr. Shah accused former Supreme Court Judge Justice (retd.) Reddy of "supporting" Maoism. He had asserted that if the Salwa Judum decision had not been issued, Left Wing Extremism would have ceased by 2020.
"It is sad that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has publicly misinterpreted the Supreme Court's decision in the Salwa Judum case. The verdict makes no explicit or implicit endorsement for Naxalism or its ideology," according to a statement signed by the 18 former judges.
Former Supreme Court judges A K Patnaik, Abhay Oka, Gopala Gowda, Vikramjit Sen, Kurien Joseph, Madan B Lokur, and J Chelameswar also signed the declaration.
"It is sad that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has publicly misinterpreted the Supreme Court's decision in the Salwa Judum case. The verdict makes no explicit or implicit endorsement for Naxalism or its ideology," according to a statement signed by the 18 former judges.
Former Supreme Court judges A K Patnaik, Abhay Oka, Gopala Gowda, Vikramjit Sen, Kurien Joseph, Madan B Lokur, and J Chelameswar also signed the declaration.
"While the campaign for the position of Vice President of India may be ideological, it can be carried out civilly and with respect. Criticising any candidate's so-called ideology should be avoided, according to the retired justices.
"Prejudicial misinterpretation of a judgment of the Supreme Court by a high political functionary is likely to have a chilling effect on the judges of the Supreme Court, shaking the independence of the judiciary," they said.
It would be prudent to avoid "name-calling" in order to respect the office of India's Vice-President, according to the retired judges.
The declaration was signed by seven retired Supreme Court judges as well as three former chief justices of High Courts (Govind Mathur, S. Muralidhar, and Sanjib Bannerjee).
"Prejudicial misinterpretation of a judgment of the Supreme Court by a high political functionary is likely to have a chilling effect on the judges of the Supreme Court, shaking the independence of the judiciary," they said.
It would be prudent to avoid "name-calling" in order to respect the office of India's Vice-President, according to the retired judges.
The declaration was signed by seven retired Supreme Court judges as well as three former chief justices of High Courts (Govind Mathur, S. Muralidhar, and Sanjib Bannerjee).
"While the campaign for the position of Vice President of India may be ideological, it can be carried out civilly and with respect. Criticising any candidate's so-called ideology should be avoided, according to the retired justices.
"Prejudicial misinterpretation of a judgment of the Supreme Court by a high political functionary is likely to have a chilling effect on the judges of the Supreme Court, shaking the independence of the judiciary," they said.
It would be prudent to avoid "name-calling" in order to respect the office of India's Vice-President, according to the retired judges.
The declaration was signed by seven retired Supreme Court judges as well as three former chief justices of High Courts (Govind Mathur, S. Muralidhar, and Sanjib Bannerjee).
"Prejudicial misinterpretation of a judgment of the Supreme Court by a high political functionary is likely to have a chilling effect on the judges of the Supreme Court, shaking the independence of the judiciary," they said.
It would be prudent to avoid "name-calling" in order to respect the office of India's Vice-President, according to the retired judges.
The declaration was signed by seven retired Supreme Court judges as well as three former chief justices of High Courts (Govind Mathur, S. Muralidhar, and Sanjib Bannerjee).
Other signatories to the letter include former high court judges Anjana Prakash, C Praveen Kumar, A Gopal Reddy, G Raghuram, K Kannan, K Chandru, B Chandrakumar, and Kailash Gambhir. Prof. Mohan Gopal and senior attorney Sanjay Hegde both signed the statement.
Speaking in Kerala on Friday (August 22, 2025), Mr. Shah stated that "Sudershan Reddy is the one who helped Naxalism. He rendered Salwa Judum's judgment. If the Salwa Judum verdict had not been issued, Naxal terrorism would have ended by 2020. He was motivated by the mindset that led to Salwa Judam's judgment." On Saturday (August 23, 2025), Justice (retd.) Reddy stated that he did not intend to debate the Home Minister's decision, claiming that it was the Supreme Court's. He further stated that Shah would not have made those remarks if he had read the entire verdict.
He, along with Justice S S Nijjar, was a member of an apex court panel that ordered the dissolution of Salwa Judum in July 2011, saying that deploying tribal adolescents as Special Police Officers in the war against Maoist rebels was illegal and unconstitutional.