The recommendation of criminal proceedings against former Chief Justice Y.K. Sabharwal by the Central Vigilance Commission is a blow to the reputation of the judiciary in India. Sabharwal faces charges of conniving with people in the former Mulayam Singh government to help his sons get valuable land in Uttar Pradesh at throwaway rates. Worse, it has been alleged that his order in a high profile case, such as the sealing of illegal commercial premises in Delhi, has benefited the interests of some in his family.

If the head of a democratic institution is charged with corruption, how can anyone have faith in the overall functioning of the institution? The case against Sabharwal deserves a high-level probe. I hope he is able to prove his innocence but if the accusations against him are proven right , the judiciary has a lot of soul-searching to do.

Misplaced reservations

Excluding the ‘creamy layer’ among the backward classes from the benefits of reservation is the subject of one of the most unfortunate and irrelevant public debates in recent history. The latest move to increase the income slab for defining the creamy later — from Rs 2.5 lakh per year to as high as Rs 6 lakh — comes as another misguided step, and a conveniently designed one to circumvent the Supreme Court ruling against extending reservation benefits to this privileged class.

The argument that people with an annual income below Rs 6 lakh are socially and economically disadvantaged and therefore need reservation clearly defies logic. An obvious example is of IAS and IRS officers belonging to backward classes. They are the privileged few among their communities who have achieved wealth and education at par with mainstream society. How far can anyone justifiably argue that the children of a person whose monthly income is Rs 50,000 be given reservation, while his fellow community members who do not earn even Rs 500 a month are deprived of opportunities?

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