SC raps Karnataka HC judge over 'objectionable' remarks

A five-judge Supreme Court bench Friday took suo motu cognisance of a Karnataka high court judge's alleged controversial and objectionable comments against a woman lawyer during the court proceedings in a case and his reference to a Muslim-majority area in Bengaluru as 'Pakistan' in another.

Before the commencement of the day's proceedings in the apex court, the five senior-most judges -- Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Justice B R Gavai, Justice Surya Kant and Justice Hrishikesh Roy -- assembled to take a judicial note of the comments made by Justice Vedavyasachar Srishananda of the Karnataka high court during the judicial proceedings on Thursday.

In video clips, which went viral on social media, Justice Srishananda was seen reprimanding a woman lawyer and reportedly made some objectionable comments when she intervened in an ongoing hearing.

The judge, in another case related to landlord-tenant dispute, referred to a Muslim-dominated locality in Bengaluru as 'Pakistan'.

Taking suo motu (on its own) cognizance of the reported observations, the bench, at the outset, said, "The reason why we have come in a combination of five judges is that our attention has been drawn to certain video clips about certain gratuitous remarks by a Karnataka High Court judge during the court of hearing."

"We will ask the Register General of the high court to send us a report and perhaps with your assistance lay down some guidelines on observations in the course of hearings and draw the issues now that social media is now so prominent in observing proceedings in court, commenting on that."

The bench also sought the assistance of Attorney General R Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta in dealing with the case and said it may lay down certain guidelines on this aspect.

'At this stage, we request the Registrar General of the high court of Karnataka to submit a report to this court after seeking administrative directions of the Chief Justice of the High Court of Karnataka, in regard to the subject matter which has been referred to above,' the order said.

This exercise may be carried out in the next two days and a report be submitted to the Secretary General of the apex court in the meantime, the CJI said and listed the suo motu case on September 25 at 10.30 am.

During a brief hearing, the bench said there was a need to establish clear guidelines for constitutional court judges regarding their remarks in court.

The bench said the issue becomes important as social media plays an active role in monitoring and amplifying courtroom proceedings.

There is an urgency to ensure judicial commentary aligns with the decorum expected from courts of law, it said.

Earlier, senior advocate Indira Jaising took to 'X' to urge the Chief Justice of India to take suo motu judicial note of the comments.