Supreme Court Intervenes to Expunge Unwarranted Remarks in High Court's Contempt Order, Emphasizing Judicial Discipline.
07 August 2024
Civil Suits >> Civil & Consumer Law
The Supreme Court has taken suo motu notice of a concerning order passed by Justice Rajbir Sehrawat of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on 17 July 2024, in a contempt proceeding titled Naurty Ram vs. Devender Singh IAS and Anr. The Single Judge’s order included unnecessary and inappropriate observations regarding the Supreme Court, which, in the view of the Court, undermined the dignity and authority of the judicial system.
While the High Court's Division Bench, led by the Chief Justice, had already stayed the operation of the order, the Supreme Court emphasized the importance of judicial discipline and the hierarchical nature of the judiciary. The Court held that judges must respect the authority of higher courts and refrain from making gratuitous remarks that could tarnish the credibility of the judicial process.
The Supreme Court, while acknowledging the merit of the concerns raised by the Attorney General and Solicitor General, chose to exercise restraint and decided not to take further action against the Single Judge at this stage. However, the Court expunged the remarks made in the 17 July 2024 order and issued a warning for future caution, particularly in the context of live streaming and public reporting of court proceedings. The Supreme Court emphasized the necessity of maintaining judicial sanctity and discipline and expressed hope that such matters would not arise in the future.