Could you begin by telling us what you have been doing since your retirement?
I am glad you are asking me that question Ayesha! In connection with my nomination to the Constitutional Council under the 17th Amendment, the earlier Prime Minister without recourse to me had said in Parliament that I had become a Hindu Priest! On the contrary I had been quite busy secularly. Busier than when I was on the Bench. I have been participating and continue to participate at conferences, seminars and meetings both local and foreign, and writing articles and essays in respect of subjects ranging from Legal, Religious, Cultural, Literary, Historical, Societal to Fine Arts.
Q: There is a widely held perception that the judiciary of this country is politicised and that personal biases often hinder the judicial process. Do you agree with the view that the judiciary has lost its independence, and if so, how can the situation be rectified?
There is no doubt that the judiciary of our country has changed, and not for the better. It is not appropriate for me to discuss specific matters dealing with specific judges or judgments. However the serious issues happen to be systemic. The loss of our judiciary’s independence can be traced to the 1972 Constitution and thereafter to the 1978 Constitution. Let me explain some of the most salient structural deficiencies in our system. Full Story>>>
