H. R. Bhardwaj,71 Minister of Law

Hans Raj Bhardwaj will be best remembered for making grand announcements of judicial reform and improving the justice delivery system and not following them up with action. The minister either endorsed or looked the other way as his officers changed the course of high-profile CBI cases to suit his political masters. Last November,his Ministry worked with the CBI to silently let Bofors-accused Ottavio Quattrocchi walk free. As Minister,he backed the Bill amending the CrPC and when lawyers protested,he supported them saying,“I am a lawyer”,leaving the government embarrassed.

His brief

• The CMP stated that the government would “drastically cut delays in high courts and lower levels of the judiciary”. But crores of cases are still pending in courts across India.

• Bhardwaj was also expected to usher in an era of legal reforms.

The deliveries

Got some key Bills passed—one aimed at increasing the number of judges in the Supreme Court from 26 to 31,another to increase the salaries of judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts and a Bill on setting up Gram Nyayalayas. He also ensured that a record number of judges were appointed to different HCs and created 168 new posts of judges in various High Courts.

REFORMS DERAILED

• The ministry didn’t try to push through even a watered-down version of the Judges (Inquiry) Bill,that would have been used to probe corruption and misdemeanours in the higher judiciary.

• His use of the Law Ministry and its senior officers as instruments of the ruling party in major CBI corruption cases undermined the independence of investigation and the agency’s credibility.

• He sat on the recommendation of the Chief Justice of India to impeach Calcutta HC Judge Soumitra Sen.

Opportunities blown

Former Chief Justice of India J.S. Verma says,“He had enough time to set things right but chose not to. On judicial appointments,since the collegium system is based on the judgement of a Bench of which I was a part,I know that there are ample safeguards to ensure unwanted elements don’t get elevated. But he misled everybody by claiming that the government was bound to accept the collegium’s recommendations.”

What was he thinking?

“Yes,I met Sanjay Dutt,” he volunteered,when the actor released a CD saying a Union minister had threatened him against joining the SP.

High point

Steered the Office of Profit Bill in Parliament. But the government was embarrassed when then President APJ Abdul Kalam returned the Bill. The Bill,which exempted 56 posts from the office-of-profit category,was re-legislated.

Low point

Said that as chairperson of the National Advisory Council,Sonia Gandhi could call for any government file. He conveniently forgot that rules don’t allow such a thing.

View from the shadow

“Being a lawyer,he knew what ails the judicial system. But,nothing was done. He is the longest serving law minister and he should have made more effort. Even on the issue of transparency in judiciary,no action has been taken.” —Najma Heptulla,BJP Rajya Sabha MP and member of the Committee on Personnel,Public Grievances,Law and Justice.

Did he get your vote?

He is a Rajya Sabha member.