30 March 2023
Honourable Minister Shri Kiren Rijiju,
We are a group of former civil servants of the All India and Central Services who have worked in the Central and State Governments during our careers. As a group, we have no affiliation with any political party but believe in impartiality, neutrality and share a commitment to the Constitution of India.
We write to you today in response to comments you made on various occasions and very recently at the India Today Conclave on March 18, 2023. Your statements that day are the latest in what is emerging as a concerted attack by the government on the collegium system of appointments, the Supreme Court of India and, ultimately, on judicial independence. We unequivocally condemn this onslaught.
We are puzzled by your repeated criticisms of the Supreme Court collegium while simultaneously stating that there was no confrontation between the government and the Supreme Court. To the average Indian, there does, indeed, seem to be a confrontation. In the appointment of judges to the High Courts and Supreme Court it appears that it is the government that is stonewalling appointments. Names forwarded by the collegium are left pending for years, only to be finally returned without approval. Candidates with distinguished careers marked by their commitment to due process and to constitutional norms are turned down by the government. Rather than engage constructively with the Supreme Court and collegium, high offices of the executive such as yours, and that of the Vice President, have responded with venomous barbs. The government’s continued refusal to accept some candidates can only give rise to the suspicion that the underlying intention is to create a pliant judiciary.
It is no surprise that retired judges, senior lawyers, and experts have been expressing serious concern in the public domain on the urgent need to safeguard judicial independence. The process of determining judicial appointments goes to the heart of this independence. It is a testament to their commitment to the institution that retired judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts are not mute spectators to abrasive attacks on the judiciary. These are individuals with distinguished careers of public service and unimpeachable integrity. Yet you have not hesitated to call them anti-Indian and have stated that a few retired judges are working in tandem with activists, groupings you described as “anti-India gangs” and attempting to influence the judiciary to “play the role of an Opposition party”. When asked if any action would be taken against this so-called “anti-India gang”, you replied that “actions will be taken”, that “nobody will escape” and that “those who have worked against the country will have to pay a price”.
It seems to us that you are confusing the government with the country, construing criticism of the government as disloyalty to the country. You seem to believe that if a person disagrees with the views of the government, that is enough to permanently label him or her as “anti-national”. Using that label, the government then initiates all manner of punitive action, and attempts to suppress dissent of any kind. Have you considered the implications of what you said in terms of the right to free speech under the Indian Constitution? You need to urgently explain the legal basis of your open threat in a public forum.
As the Law Minister, if you have concerns about opinions being expressed or discussions taking place in public fora, you can avail of multiple platforms and ways to respond, beginning with inviting dialogue. To label public-spirited citizens as an “anti-India gang” and threaten them with action which will exact “a price” rings sharply of authoritarianism, particularly in the absence of any attempt to dialogue or engage. These are abrasive statements unbecoming of your high post.
We recognise that there is need for continued deliberations on ways to improve the current system of judicial appointments, to deepen transparency and the rigour of the process as also diversity amongst appointees. However, preserving the independence of the judiciary is non-negotiable, and any sign of executive overreach cannot be accepted in a democracy. We conclude by reminding you of a simple but cardinal truth: all organs of the State are bound by the Constitution of India and a government, simply because it is in a majority, cannot ride roughshod over Constitutional provisions regarding the separation of powers amongst the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. By doing so, you breach your own oath of office.
SATYAMEVA JAYATE
Yours sincerely,
Constitutional Conduct Group (90 signatories, as below)
| 1. | Anita Agnihotri | IAS (Retd.) | Former Secretary, Department of Social Justice Empowerment, GoI |
| 2. | Anand Arni | RAS (Retd.) | Former Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, GoI |
| 3. | G. Balachandhran | IAS (Retd.) | Former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of West Bengal |
| 4. | Vappala Balachandran | IPS (Retd.) | Former Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, GoI |
| 5. | Chandrashekar Balakrishnan | IAS (Retd.) | Former Secretary, Coal, GoI |
| 6. | T.K. Banerji | IAS (Retd.) | Former Member, Union Public Service Commission |
| 7. | Sharad Behar | IAS (Retd.) | Former Chief Secretary, Govt. of Madhya Pradesh |
| 8. | Aurobindo Behera | IAS (Retd.) | Former Member, Board of Revenue, Govt. of Odisha |
| 9. | Madhu Bhaduri | IFS (Retd.) | Former Ambassador to Portugal |
| 10. | Meeran C Borwankar | IPS (Retd.) | Former DGP, Bureau of Police Research and Development, GoI |
| 11. | Ravi Budhiraja | IAS (Retd.) | Former Chairman, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, GoI |
| 12. | Sundar Burra | IAS (Retd.) | Former Secretary, Govt. of Maharashtra |
| 13. | R. Chandramohan | IAS (Retd.) | Former Principal Secretary, Transport and Urban Development, Govt. of NCT of Delhi |
| 14. | Rachel Chatterjee | IAS (Retd.) | Former Special Chief Secretary, Agriculture, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh |
| 15. | Kalyani Chaudhuri | IAS (Retd.) | Former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of West Bengal |
| 16. | Gurjit Singh Cheema | IAS (Retd.) | Former Financial Commissioner (Revenue), Govt. of Punjab |
| 17. | F.T.R. Colaso | IPS (Retd.) | Former Director General of Police, Govt. of Karnataka & former Director General of Police, Govt. of Jammu & Kashmir |
| 18. | Anna Dani | IAS (Retd.) | Former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of Maharashtra |
| 19. | P.R. Dasgupta | IAS (Retd.) | Former Chairman, Food Corporation of India, GoI |
| 20. | Pradeep K. Deb | IAS (Retd.) | Former Secretary, Deptt. Of Sports, GoI |
| 21. | Nitin Desai | Former Chief Economic Adviser, Ministry of Finance, GoI | |
| 22. | M.G. Devasahayam | IAS (Retd.) | Former Secretary, Govt. of Haryana |
| 23. | Sushil Dubey | IFS (Retd.) | Former Ambassador to Sweden |
| 24. | A.S. Dulat | IPS (Retd.) | Former OSD on Kashmir, Prime Minister’s Office, GoI |
| 25. | K.P. Fabian | IFS (Retd.) | Former Ambassador to Italy |
| 26. | Prabhu Ghate | IAS (Retd.) | Former Addl. Director General, Department of Tourism, GoI |
| 27. | Gourisankar Ghosh | IAS (Retd.) | Former Mission Director, National Drinking Water Mission, GoI |
| 28. | S.K. Guha | IAS (Retd.) | Former Joint Secretary, Department of Women & Child Development, GoI |
| 29. | H.S. Gujral | IFoS (Retd.) | Former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Govt. of Punjab |
| 30. | Meena Gupta | IAS (Retd.) | Former Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Forests, GoI |
| 31. | Ravi Vira Gupta | IAS (Retd.) | Former Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India |
| 32. | Siraj Hussain | IAS (Retd.) | Former Secretary, Department of Agriculture, GoI |
| 33. | Kamal Jaswal | IAS (Retd.) | Former Secretary, Department of Information Technology, GoI |
| 34. | Najeeb Jung | IAS (Retd.) | Former Lieutenant Governor, Delhi |
| 35. | Vinod C. Khanna | IFS (Retd.) | Former Additional Secretary, MEA, GoI |
| 36. | Brijesh Kumar | IAS (Retd.) | Former Secretary, Department of Information Technology, GoI |
| 37. | Ish Kumar | IPS (Retd.) | Former DGP (Vigilance & Enforcement), Govt. of Telangana and former Special Rapporteur, National Human Rights Commission |
| 38. | Sudhir Kumar | IAS (Retd.) | Former Member, Central Administrative Tribunal |
| 39. | Subodh Lal | IPoS (Resigned) | Former Deputy Director General, Ministry of Communications, GoI |
| 40. | P.M.S. Malik | IFS (Retd.) | Former Ambassador to Myanmar & Special Secretary, MEA, GoI |
| 41. | Harsh Mander | IAS (Retd.) | Govt. of Madhya Pradesh |
| 42. | Aditi Mehta | IAS (Retd.) | Former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of Rajasthan |
| 43. | Satya Narayan Mohanty | IAS (Retd.) | Former Secretary General, National Human Rights Commission |
| 44. | Jugal Mohapatra | IAS (Retd.) | Former Secretary, Department of Rural Development, GoI |
| 45. | Deb Mukharji | IFS (Retd.) | Former High Commissioner to Bangladesh and former Ambassador to Nepal |
| 46. | Shiv Shankar Mukherjee | IFS (Retd.) | Former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom |
| 47. | Gautam Mukhopadhaya | IFS (Retd.) | Former Ambassador to Myanmar |
| 48. | Pranab S. Mukhopadhya | IAS (Retd.) | Former Director, Institute of Port Management, GoI |
| 49. | Nagalsamy | IA&AS (Retd.) | Former Principal Accountant General, Tamil Nadu & Kerala |
| 50. | Ramesh Narayanaswami | IAS (Retd.) | Former Chief Secretary, Govt. of NCT of Delhi |
| 51. | Surendra Nath | IAS (Retd.) | Former Member, Finance Commission, Govt. of Madhya Pradesh |
| 52. | P. Joy Oommen | IAS (Retd.) | Former Chief Secretary, Govt. of Chhattisgarh |
| 53. | Amitabha Pande | IAS (Retd.) | Former Secretary, Inter-State Council, GoI |
| 54. | Maxwell Pereira | IPS (Retd.) | Former Joint Commissioner of Police, Delhi |
| 55. | Alok Perti | IAS (Retd.) | Former Secretary, Ministry of Coal, GoI |
| 56. | G.K. Pillai | IAS (Retd.) | Former Home Secretary, GoI |
| 57. | R. Poornalingam | IAS (Retd.) | Former Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, GoI |
| 58. | Rajesh Prasad | IFS (Retd.) | Former Ambassador to the Netherlands |
| 59. | R.M. Premkumar | IAS (Retd.) | Former Chief Secretary, Govt. of Maharashtra |
| 60. | Rajdeep Puri | IRS (Resigned) | Former Joint Commissioner of Income Tax, GoI |
| 61. | T.R. Raghunandan | IAS (Retd.) | Former Joint Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, GoI |
| 62. | N.K. Raghupathy | IAS (Retd.) | Former Chairman, Staff Selection Commission, GoI
|
| 63. | V.P. Raja | IAS (Retd.) | Former Chairman, Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission |
| 64. | K. Sujatha Rao | IAS (Retd.) | Former Health Secretary, GoI |
| 65. | M.Y. Rao | IAS (Retd.) | |
| 66. | Satwant Reddy | IAS (Retd.) | Former Secretary, Chemicals and Petrochemicals, GoI |
| 67. | Vijaya Latha Reddy | IFS (Retd.) | Former Deputy National Security Adviser, GoI |
| 68. | Julio Ribeiro | IPS (Retd.) | Former Adviser to Governor of Punjab & former Ambassador to Romania |
| 69. | Aruna Roy | IAS (Resigned) | |
| 70. | A.K. Samanta | IPS (Retd.) | Former Director General of Police (Intelligence), Govt. of West Bengal |
| 71. | Deepak Sanan | IAS (Retd.) | Former Principal Adviser (AR) to Chief Minister, Govt. of Himachal Pradesh |
| 72. | G.V. Venugopala Sarma | IAS (Retd.) | Former Member, Board of Revenue, Govt. of Odisha |
| 73. | S. Satyabhama | IAS (Retd.) | Former Chairperson, National Seeds Corporation, GoI |
| 74. | N.C. Saxena | IAS (Retd.) | Former Secretary, Planning Commission, GoI |
| 75. | A. Selvaraj | IRS (Retd.) | Former Chief Commissioner, Income Tax, Chennai, GoI |
| 76. | Ardhendu Sen | IAS (Retd.) | Former Chief Secretary, Govt. of West Bengal |
| 77. | Abhijit Sengupta | IAS (Retd.) | Former Secretary, Ministry of Culture, GoI |
| 78. | Aftab Seth | IFS (Retd.) | Former Ambassador to Japan |
| 79. | Ashok Kumar Sharma | IFoS (Retd.) | Former MD, State Forest Development Corporation, Govt. of Gujarat |
| 80. | Ashok Kumar Sharma | IFS (Retd.) | Former Ambassador to Finland and Estonia |
| 81. | Navrekha Sharma | IFS (Retd.) | Former Ambassador to Indonesia |
| 82. | Raju Sharma | IAS (Retd.) | Former Member, Board of Revenue, Govt. of Uttar Pradesh |
| 83. | Sujatha Singh | IFS (Retd.) | Former Foreign Secretary, GoI |
| 84. | Tara Ajai Singh | IAS (Retd.) | Former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of Karnataka |
| 85. | A.K. Srivastava | IAS (Retd.) | Former Administrative Member, Madhya Pradesh Administrative Tribunal |
| 86. | Parveen Talha | IRS (Retd.) | Former Member, Union Public Service Commission |
| 87. | Anup Thakur | IAS (Retd.) | Former Member, National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission |
| 88. | P.S.S. Thomas | IAS (Retd.) | Former Secretary General, National Human Rights Commission |
| 89. | Geetha Thoopal | IRAS (Retd.) | Former General Manager, Metro Railway, Kolkata |
| 90. | Ramani Venkatesan | IAS (Retd.) | Former Director General, YASHADA, Govt. of Maharashtra |
Constitutional Conduct Group 
I endorse the views given in the letter
Arvind Kaul
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Wonder if the govt of the day is trying to relive the Nazi times!
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To shield the SKIN of each other concerned, FIR has yet not been registered.
*Sub: Grievances petition for seeking natural justice w.i.e at your kind end. *
Dear all concerned,
That on 14/10/2016 at the age of about 60 my family was thrown on road dispossessed from E-221 from own house made homeless by ignoring material facts/forged ration card no.207502/forged will dated11.3.99/forged conveyance deed dt.27.4.2000 by concerned judges/advocates/Police/DM/IAS/IPS/ L&DO/Govt officers: through which entire property no.E.207,221 (200 sq yards) Lajpat nagar-1,ND-24 has been grabbed with the power of money by playing fraud by hatching a well planned conspiracy by corropt Gopal Krishan khera, staff DC office/Vijay kalra pps Min of Defence his wife gulshan kalra his sisters sudershan malhotra/asha chawla/kamal juneja/chandar prakash khera his wife Sharda khera their sons vukul/keshav khera: to hide truth/to hide the name of my family members/to manipulate to show 1 legal heir of late sh.sn.khera/property Regd by sub registrar Delhi on 4/9/1982. Since 99 years lease of property was registered by sub Delhi on 10/6/1969
Several complaints in this regard was given to the SHO ps Lajpat nagar but filed by him, by taking the advantage of our corrupt law and judiciary system upto Suprem Courts: FIR has yet not been registered.
In result my family is still facing financial and irreparable age/health losses in back from 2001, which can never be explained/compensated in words by President/PM/chiefe justice of India who assured for 0%tolerance on corruption.
Hence, before I may expired or killed by named, you all are requested to consider/ pass orders to Regd. FIR w.i.e: so that all concerned could be sent in jail as per Cr.PC, whosoever is responsible to destroy /spoiled our family life of over 21 years.
Waiting for your orders.
Sr citizen jagmohan khera s/o late sh.sn.khera and family aggrieved herein with our corrupt law and judiciary system. MOB.9718059869 Mailing address: Q-7 old Double storey, Lajpat nagar-4 new Delhi-110024
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(Sub: Reg. Illegal grabing of refugee property belongs to my father late sh.sn.khera who was expired after freehold on 9/1/2001 under SUSPICIOUS circumstances leaving behind his 7 legal heir or killed by named so that before his death truth of fraud may not come OUT.
Respected all,
1) That on 14/10/2016 at the age of about 60 my family was thrown on road dispossessed from E-221 by ACP/SHO ps Lajpat nagar by ignoring several complaints/forged ration card no.207502/forged will dated11.3.99/forged conveyance deed dt.27.4.2000: through which refugee property no.E.207,221 (200 sq yards)Lajpat Nagar,New Delhi-110024 was grabbed with the power of money with the help of corrupt Govt officials by Gopal Krishan khera, staff DC office/Vijay kalra pps min of Defence and others on his behalf by playing fraud with Hon’ble Courts by hiding the existence of 99 years lease Dated 31.3.69, to show 1 legal heir of property Regd on 4/1982.
2) That in 2020 in response to President’s letter sub registrar Delhi Govt has confirmed that will having registration no.1491 was not executed by Surender Nath khera (my father) and registration particulars of property (4/9/1982) mention on 1st page of will does not match with record.
3) Hence Hon’ble law/All BJP Ministers are requested to upload their reply with clean hands as to WHY FIR may not be registered and all concerned corrupt or incimpetent Police/Govt officials may not be sent in jail till death as per Cr.PC whosoever is responsible to destroy/spoiled our family life of over 21 years, which can never be explained/compensated in words by President/PM/LM/CP/CM/CJI, Suprem court of India responsible to deliver fair and proper justice w.i.e, if fraud case/Grievances petition come into notice.
Above all based on documents (Already provided to Hon’ble President/CJI/ADJ/ DC/DM/ADM/SDM/SR/L&DO/CP/CM/Dy CM/LM, Delhi, but all vent in vain, hence my family is still facing fake court financial paying huge amounts of fee to advocates to get justice and and paying rent to get shelter and still facing financial and irreparable age/health losses which can never be explained/compensated in words by all concerned.
Sr citizen jagmohan khera s/o late sh.sn.khera and family aggrieved with our corrupt law and judiciary system upto Suprem court of India who assured for 0%tolerance on corruption.
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*Shameful and painful to say to Honest Nice/wise/Hon’ble President Ms. Draupti Murmu and to dear Dr. Dy chander Chud ji,CJI, Suprem court of India who assured to deliver fair and proper justice in all cases. *
1) That 99 years lease of refugee property no.E.207,221 (200 sq yards) Lajpat nagar-1,ND-24 in favour of Lt.Surender Nath khera (my father) late sh.sn.khera was registered on 10/6/1969, expired under SUSPICIOUS circumstances on 9/1/2001 or killed by named/others so that before his death truth of fraud may not come OUT.
2) That in 2013 ACP/SHO/IO/EO ps Lajpat nagar has submitted investigation report to sdm Defence colony *That WILL/GPA/GIFT dt.11/3/99 are SUSPICIOUS but under bribe or for personal interests FIR has yet not been registered by them. 3) That in 2020 in response to President’s letter sub registrar Delhi Govt has confirmed that will having registration no.1491 was not executed by Surender Nath khera (my father) and registration particulars of property (4/9/1982) mentioned on 1st page of will does not match with record, because 99 years lease of property was registered by sub registrar Asaf Ali road Delhi on 10/6/1969.
4) *Sufficient to allege: *That on 14/10/2016 at the age of about 60 my family was thrown on road dispossessed from E-221 from own house made homeless by Cours and entire property no.E.207,221 (200 sq yards) Lajpat nagar-1 new Delhi-110024 value about Rs.15 Cr with the power of money has been grabbed by playing fraud with Hon’ble Courts (without any fear of criminal laws) by corrupt Gopal Krishna khera staff DC office/Vijay kalra pps Min of Defence and others by planting/using of forged ration card no.207502 of 1998/fake will dated11.3.99/forged conveyance deed dt.27.4.2000 to show 1 legal heir of property Regd on 4/9/1982, helped by corrupt police/Govt officers/Court staff/advocates by ignoring material facts/several complaints/PMOPG/ grievance petitions.
5) In result, my family is still facing fake court cases in Saket court, paying huge amounts of fee to advocates to get justice and still facing financial and irreparable age/health losses which can never be explained/compensated in words.
Hence, before I may expired or killed by my rivals, for end of fake court cases/irreparable losses prayed to register FIR and send all concerned in jail as per Cr.PC and do fair and proper justice at the earliest at your kind end.
With Hope’s to get fair and proper justice/compensation.
Sr.citizen jagmohan khera and family legal heirs of late sh.sn.khera, aggrieved herein with our corrupt law and judiciary system upto Suprem court judges.
Contact details Q-7 old Double storey Lajpat nagar 4, new Delhi-110024 MOB.9718059869
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Yes,you all are very correct to caution the Minister for his wrong and unjustified comments on those who don’t agree to his whims and fancie.
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To
Hon’ble President of India
CJI, Suprem court of India
If my Enquiry Report on the subject matter has been submitted to concerned Office against your Complaint No.:801012305606 Dated 10/04/23 Regards, EO,Mobile No.:9868079809
Pl all concerned do help to register FIR so that all concerned accused persons could be sent in jail as per Cr.PC whosoever is responsible to destroy/spoiled our family life of over 22 years.
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Dear Members of the Group :
I hope you will show mirror to your IAS & IPS colleagues who depriving the economically deprived family students have cornered scholarships from the Government of Rajasthan to send their children to elite universities overseas. This is a real scandal. Read the Dainik Bhaskar of 26th April 2023 ( Jaipur edition ) for details.
KV Singh
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