On the 12th of January the news of ‘revolt’ of four senior judges of Supreme Court of India against the Chief Justice of India (CJI) took the nation by surprise. The press conference by the four  of the five senior most judges of the apex court was held at the residence of  Justice Chemlameswar who is second only to the Chief Justice of India  Dipak Mishra. In this unprecedented event in the history of India the four judges also released the letter of protest which they had given to the chief justice  two months back and claimed that “There have been instances where cases having far-reaching consequences for the nation and the institution had been assigned by the Chief Justices of this court selectively to the benches ‘of their preference’ without any rational basis.” The judges further said that “they were compelled to speak because democracy will not survive unless the institution of the Supreme Court is preserved.”

Although this event was astonishing for everyone but astrologically we were anticipating a major crisis in the Indian judiciary with its differences with the central government over many issues including the appointment of judges in higher judiciary. I had mention this astrological possibility in my article “Hindu New Year horoscope 2017 and prospects for India “ posted on this blog on March 28, 2017.

Now looking at the solar ingress horoscope of Capricorn and the coming ‘long stay of Mars in Makar for about 7 months’ , during the second half of 2018,  we can astrologically foresee major judicial crisis in the country . The collegium system of appointment of judges is likely to go under reforms which will begin from 2018 and it may get  complete in 2020 when the transiting Saturn and Jupiter will be in conjunction in Makar rashi (Capricorn sign). The Saturn ( justice giver) , Jupiter  ( law) and Mars ( law enforcement agency) are the primary planets for judiciary which are going to transit from the sensitive houses of the foundation chart of India this year. This will bring unprecedented and very controversial crisis in the Indian judicial system which will make a strong public opinion for the judicial reforms in the country.   

Solar Ingress of Capricorn horoscope 

14 January 2018, 13:47 hours at Delhi 

In the Makar Samkranti or Sun’s entry into Capricorn horoscope the lagna and 6th lord Venus is in the 9th house in combustion  by the Sun. Mars aspect the 9th house in Rashi chart from the 6th house showing the rift in the judiciary to get widen further in days to come. In Navamsha the 9th lord Venus has gone into the 12th house in Rahu-Ketu axis under the aspect of Mars again. The 9th house under heavy affliction shows trouble in the judiciary. The issue of the selection of judges in the higher judiciary will surface again as a dispute between the central government and apex court of country. Notice here the 9th lord Saturn falling in the 8th house and the Jupiter the Karaka for Judiciary is transiting from the 6th house.

 

How judges are appointed in India ?

In India the judges in the Supreme Court and High Court are appointed by the “Collegium System” since 1993 after a judgement of the apex court in “Supreme Court Advocates on record Vs Union of India case”. The Collegium consist of the Chief Justice of India as its chairman and four other senior judges of the Supreme court as its members. However, the collegium system has no place in the constitution of India. This system was evolved through the Judgements of the Supreme court which is known in judicial circle as “Three Judges cases”. In August 2014 the present BJP government brought the National Judicial Appointment Commission Act (NJAC) and the 99th constitutional amendment to brought an end to for the collegium system. But the Supreme Court of India rejected this bill by declaring it ‘unconstitutional and void’. In October  2015 the 5 judges bench headed by Justice J.S. Khehar strike down the NJAC Act and the 99th constitutional amendment in its judgement. Since then a tussle between the central government and apex court has been going on over the appointment of judges to higher courts.

Unlike the western countries the legislature in India has no say in the matter of judges appointment in higher judiciary as well as in the lower judiciary. The politicians are merely spectators when it comes to the matter of appointment of judges as it is done by an Independent judiciary. But the process of selections is very much oblique and lack transparency particularly in case of Higher judiciary.

Crisis in lower judiciary of India 

According to a report  issued by the Supreme Court –‘Indian Judiciary Annual Report 2015-2016’– a whopping 2.8 crore ( 28 million)  cases were pending in the district courts across the country which were short of nearly 5,000 judicial officers.

The report had suggested increasing the judicial manpower “manifold” — at least seven times — to overcome the crisis by appointing about 15,000 more judges in the coming years.

There is no centralised process of recruitment of judges in the district court of India. The judges are appointed by the governors of the state in consultation of the chief justice of the state concern.  A minimum of seven years of practise as a lawyer at bar is a necessary qualification for direct entry level to become a District Judge upon a written examination and oral interview by a committee of High court judges. It is often alleged that the process of selection in judicial examination is not transparent and lack accountability from the side of Higher judiciary.  But who ever has tried to highlight this issue has been targeted  by the ‘contempt  of court proceedings’ threat.

There is a rampant corruption at all level of judiciary in India as per many senior advocates including Shanti Bhushan .   While politicians and actors get instant relief from courts, the common man struggles for years for justice.

What we can expect astrologically in the first quarter of 2018 ?

Now under this background we shall go through the horoscope of  Sun’s entry into Capricorn again.

. The rising sign Taurus is same as the rising sign of the foundation chart of India. So the period of one month during the operation of this horoscope is going to be very sensitive for the country.

. The four planets Mercury, Saturn, Moon and Jupiter giving aspect to the 2nd house of taxation and finance shows the possibility of amendment in many tax laws like ‘Income Tax Act 1961’ and the GST (Goods and Services Tax).

. The amendments in the Income Tax Act 1961 may happen in next 3 months as the horoscope cast for the Sun’s entry into a movable sign shows the trends for the next 3 months.

. The 2nd and 5th lord Mercury in the 8th house in Sagittarius sign shows the chances of some downfall in the stock market in the period of 30 days from Sun’s entry into Makar i.e. 14th of January 2018.

. The 8th lord Jupiter conjoined with 7th lord Mars shows the possibility of terrorist sticks causing mass deaths during the period of next 30 days.

. The conjunction of 5th lord Mercury and 9th lord Saturn shows that there will be great scientific invention by the Indian scientist which will make the nation proud.

. The government give relief to the general public from the high inflation by bringing in the prices of petrol and diesel into the ambit of GST. At present the state government put taxes on petroleum products which in some case is more than 50%.

. There will be some unnatural rainfall in the second fortnight of January starting from Mars entry into watery sign Scorpio on the 17th and later Mercury moving into Capricorn on the 28th of January. This untimely rain will damage crops of farmers at many places across north and central India.

Judicial reforms in India will come in 2020

Now coming back to the question of the crisis in Indian judicial system the things are likely to get worst after Mars’s entry into the Capricorn sign on the 2nd of May this year where it will stay till the 5th of November along with Ketu. It is highly likely that some judges may give their resignation from their post in controversial circumstances.  A decision on the Ram Temple issue in Ayodhya in favor of the Hindu parties may  come around the total  lunar eclipse of 28 July 2018. This decision on the Ram Temple case,  which is in process of   the final hearing before a 3 judges bench headed by the Chief Justice of India Dipak Mishra, will have far reaching political consequences.

Later serious  questions will be raised on the accountability of judges and to bring the transparency in the process of their selection. This will happen in a chain of event between May to November this year during the stay of Mars in the Capricorn sign. A demand for a Judicial Selection Commission will be raised and a case in this regard may appear in front of the apex court for hearing. The process of Judicial reforms in India will take a positive shape in year 2020 when Saturn and Jupiter will conjoined in the Capricorn sign which is the 9th house of the foundation chart of the country. It is highly likely that Collegium system of  selection for Higher Judiciary will be made more transparent and a centralised commission will be formed for the appointment of  judges in district courts. Matter of the accountability of judges will also be addressed on serious note by the legislature and apex court in year 2020.