A district judge sought justice from Supreme Court who was from Andhra Pradesh and belonged to dalit community on Monday alleged that he was discriminated and humiliated on the ground of his caste by a sitting high court judge. Chief Justice H L Dattu and Justice Arun Mishra had put the judicial discipline to the forefront and refused the petition which was filed by the district judge K B Gangeyudu. They told the judge to get his grievance redressed via established in-house mechanism and further stated that there was a procedure to consider such matters and as the petition filed by the district judge was a private interest litigation he could not approach the court under writ jurisdiction stating violation of fundamental rights.
K B Gangeyudu had told the court in his petition that persons who belonged to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes were even now discriminated in all walks of life and it included judiciary too. Judge thus had requested the Supreme Court to frame guidelines for prevention of such discrimination.
The District judge had cited many incidents wherein he was humiliated and other judges had harassed him on a daily basis on one or other pretext reminding him that he belonged to lower caste and he did not deserve such a status.
In his petition the petitioner had stated that he was from Andhra Pradesh hailing from SC community and as he was denied basic human dignity and equal treatment of law by the custodians of the fundamental rights he has sought justice before the honourable apex court.
The petitioner further stated in his petition that the most humiliating experience he had was that he was denied the courtesy of judicial chair with official symbol of lions while discharging his duties as a judge.
Judge Gangeyudu further said that he had lodged a complaint before the High Court but no action was taken against colleague judge. He also said that he had complained about this incident to President and a copy was sent to the State Chief Secretary but the state government gave deaf ears to his complaints and kept silent.
by Sushma Javare.