To ensure the highest standards of judicial independence and to ward off even the faintest trace of governmental influence on the judiciary, there needs to be at least a two year “cooling off period" for retiring judges before they accept any post retirement posting.
As judicial independence of Judges rests entirely on maintaining an incorruptible detachment from the government of the day it cannot be allowed to be morally compromised by lobbying for cushy post-retirement sinecure postings. We have witnessed instances where Judges have fixed their retirement nests much prior to even demitting office. In times when the Indian Judiciary is passing through a turbulent phase, this “jobs-for-the-judges” syndrome could place judges potentially open to governmental influence leaving scope for "pre-retirement judgments" being predisposed by the craving of a “post-retirement job". While there is need of concerted efforts towards propping up standards of judicial accountability, there is a very disturbing disquiet over the slippery slope on which judicial values are slithering. The news that the former Chief Justice of India P Sathasivam who just retired on 26th April this year is tipped to be the next Governor of Kerala will only raise eyebrows one too many. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires