Mend your ways or face another Jan Lokpal-type of protests:SC

New Delhi, Aug 30(PTI) The Supreme Court of India
Tuesday gave a veiled warning to the government of possible
Anna Hazare-like protests in "worse" form and took potshots
over criticisism that standards of judiciary had gone down in
recent times.
The bench of justices G S Singhvi and H L Dattu
made the comments when they were irked over the failure of
government to furnish adequate details in a service dispute.
"But what about the Government. Their officers do not
give proper information and briefs to the counsel. Take
another 10 years, people will teach you a lesson. Three days
back you have witnessed it. It will be much worse," the bench
told Additional Solicitor General P P Malhotra.
The oblique reference was to the recent nation-wide
protests for Jan Lokpal Bill(citizens' anti-corruption
ombudsman bill) culminating in the unprecedented action of
Parliament agreeing to consider three crucial points raised by
Team Anna Hazare. The bench regretted that it has become a common
practice for Government officers of not giving sufficient
details or material to their counsel resulting in precious
loss of time.
The bench then turned to some comments made recently
on the prevailing judicial standards in the country and
criticism made about them.
It suggested that instead of commenting on the
judiciary it was time Goverment did some introspection as to
how its own officers were functioning.
"We have seen some enlightened people making comments
that the standards of judiciary have gone down. Let those
people cry from roof tops that the standards of judiciary have
gone down."
In the present case, the Centre has challenged a
Gauwhati High Court order directing it to grant enhanced pay
structures to various Government employees.
According to the goverment, the order if implemented
would entail a huge financial burden on the exchequer running
into several crores of rupeees.