Sachar Committee does a count based on religion
amongst the judiciary in Bihar July 19, 2006, New Delhi--- NDTV has learnt
the Sachar Committee has asked for a count based on religion amongst the judiciary
in Bihar. NDTV has access to the letters sent by the Registrar General of the
Patna High Court, asking for details of how many lower court judges and employees
are Muslims. The letters dated August’ 05 and September ’05,
quote the Justice Sachar Committee on the status of Muslims. The letter in September
2005 addressed to all the District and Session Judges, a proforma is attached
which every court in the state of Bihar was asked to fill. Including the Advocate
General, District Session Judges, Public Prosecutors, Group A, B, C, D employees
of all courts. The proforma asked to list the number of Hindu and Muslim officers
and employees and whether they belonged to the SCs, STs, OBCs categories. Incidentally,
high court judges are not part of the survey. According to the official
website, under the terms of reference, the Rajinder Sachar Committee has been
asked to address the share of Muslims employed in the Public and Private Sector.
A survey of the Judiciary has not been mentioned in the document and it is not
clear why the caste details have been asked for… However given the
sensitivity of a survey in the Judiciary, the officer who asked for the survey
isn't speaking. But the representative of the Bihar Judicial Officers Association,
Mr S K Singh says, “The survey is not only in Bihar. It was asked in the
whole country. The format that was given was not Bihar specific.” When
contacted by NDTV, Justice Sachar Committee refused to deny or confirm this and
no reports of a similar survey have come in from other states. Former high court
judges are divided over the survey. Supporting the survey, former HC Justice,
Ali Ahmed, says, “Along with the Muslims, the backward or Dalit classes are
also under-represented. Ideally they should also be represented keeping in mind
the percentage of their population in the country or the state. Speaking
against the policy of reservations in Judiciary, S Ali, Former HC Justice, says,
“It is not the question of Muslims or non-Muslims. The basic question is
whether there should be reservation in the judiciary. I feel there are some services
that should not have reservation and one of them is the judiciary.” The
Sachar Committee was set up by the Prime Minister, and is mandated to conduct
a detailed survey of the status of Muslims in the country. But first with the
army and now the judiciary bringing the question of religion into these institutions,
may well defeat the very principle they stand for. | 
