Supreme Court Cautions Judges on Social Media Impact After Karnataka HC Judge's Controversial Remarks.
25 September 2024
Civil Suits >> Civil & Consumer Law
In In Re: Remarks By High Court Judge During Court Proceedings., the Supreme Court initiated suo motu proceedings following media reports about controversial comments made by Justice V. Srishananda of the Karnataka High Court during judicial proceedings. The comments, which were circulated on social media, occurred during hearings on 6 June 2024 and 28 August 2024, and involved remarks on a variety of subjects, including personal details about a litigant and unrelated social issues. The Karnataka High Court's Registrar General submitted a report detailing these incidents, including a transcript of the proceedings. Justice Srishananda, in an address on 21 September 2024, apologized for the remarks, stating that they were unintentional and not meant to hurt anyone's feelings.
The Supreme Court, while acknowledging the apology, emphasized the need for judges to be aware of the broad reach of live-streamed court proceedings and the potential impact of casual remarks. It stressed that judges must remain impartial, avoid comments that could be perceived as biased, and uphold the dignity of the judiciary. The Court expressed concern over the comments being interpreted negatively, especially in relation to gender and community, and called for heightened awareness among judicial officers, lawyers, and litigants regarding the consequences of their words in the digital age. With these observations, the Court concluded the proceedings without taking further action against the judge.