A group of 21 retired judges of the Supreme Court and high courts have written to the Chief Justice of India on the escalating attempts by “certain factions to undermine the judiciary through calculated pressure, misinformation, and public disparagement”. These critics are motivated by narrow political interests and personal gains and are striving to erode public confidence in the judicial system, they said.

Though the retired judges, including four from the apex court, did not specify the incidents which prompted them to write to the CJI, their letter came amid a war of words between the ruling BJP and opposition parties over the actions against some opposition leaders in corruption cases. With affected leaders and their parties moving courts to seek relief, the BJP has often accused them of using judicial decisions selectively and cited any lack of relief for several arrested leaders to rebut the opposition’s criticism.