In a two-page open letter to Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, a woman judge in Uttar Pradesh alleged sexual harassment by her senior in her previous posting in Barabanki six months ago. Seeking CJI’s permission to ‘end her life’ since no action was taken on her allegations, the judge in her letter wrote, “Kindly permit me to end my life in a dignified way. Let my life be dismissed.”
In response to the judge’s letter, CJI Chandrachud on Thursday sought a status report from the Allahabad High Court administration on the status of an inquiry into the allegations of sexual harassment raised by the her against a district judge of the state judiciary and his associates.
Woman Seeks Permission to ‘End Life’
“I joined the judicial service with much enthusiasm and belief that I would dispense justice to the common folk. What did I know that I’ll soon be rendered a beggar for justice on every door that I go. In the short time of my service, I have had the rare honour of being abused on the dais in an open court,” the letter that became public on Thursday read.
“I have no will to live anymore. I have been rendered to a Walking Corpse in the last year and a half. There is no purpose in carrying this soulless and lifeless body around anymore. There is no purpose left in my life. Kindly permit me to end my life in a dignified way. Let my life be dismissed,” she wrote in the letter to the CJI.
CJI Seeks Report on Allegations
Following the allegations levelled against the district judge in Uttar Pradesh, CJI Chandrachud instructed the Supreme Court administration to cognisance of the matter on the administrative side. He further sought a report from the registrar general of the Allahabad High Court.
The CJI’s action came after the judge in the letter alleged that she complained about the incident several times but got no response from the authorities.