The Hindu Business Line : Just cause

This refers to the imbroglio in Parliament over the Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram's wife, Ms Nalini, a Senior Counsel,appearing for the Income-tax Department in a case.

There is already a sorry dearth of professionals in politics. Professionals earn a lot more, away from politics, and have little incentive to devote time to public life and make a difference. Allegations such as those levelled against the Finance Minister will only deter professionals from contributing to the system. Ms Nalini Chidambaram is an independent Senior Counsel in her own right, lives and practices in Chennai. There have been numerous instances of judges and their sons/daughters appearing in the same court, living in the same house, and yet nothing has been wrong with their professional conduct. It has always been argued that so long as the next of kin of a judge does not appear before the judge, there is no impropriety involved. By the same token, so long as the wife of a minister does not appear before the Minister, there is no impropriety involved.

To cast aspersions on a Senior Counsel appearing in tax litigation because her husband is the Finance Minister is not fair. Taken to its logical end, all relatives of ministers and judges should pack up their bags immediately upon their relatives assuming office. This would only lead to quality professionals staying away from public life — from politics and judiciary.

Somasekhar Sundaresan

Mumbai

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Just cause