In India, four Supreme Court judges have taken the unprecedented step of publicly criticizing the chief justice. They warned that a lack of impartiality in the highest court could imperil the country's democracy.

JASTI CHELAMESWAR JUDGE, SUPREME COURT OF INDIA "We are all, the four of us are convinced that unless this institution is preserved and it maintains its equanimity the democracy will not survive in the country, or any country."

The judges criticized the court's distribution of cases and raised concerns about judicial appointments. They said there were instances of cases with "far-reaching consequences" being selectively assigned by the chief justice Dipak Misra, though no specific cases were cited. The move spells far-reaching implications for jurists and politicians, as the Supreme Court often sets the agenda on matters of policy and orders measures taken in the public interest.