Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has demanded a report from the Karnataka High Court following controversial remarks made by Justice Vedavyasachar Srishananda during a recent hearing. The judge, while presiding over a landlord-tenant dispute, referred to a Muslim-majority area in Bengaluru as “Pakistan” and made a misogynistic comment involving a woman lawyer.
A five-judge bench, led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and including Justices S Khanna, B R Gavai, S Kant, and H Roy, stressed the need to establish guidelines for judicial commentary in courtrooms. The bench highlighted that with the increasing role of social media in amplifying courtroom proceedings, it is imperative for judicial remarks to uphold the dignity and decorum expected of the courts.
“Attention has been drawn to media reports about the comments made by Justice…of Karnataka High Court during court proceedings. We request the Karnataka High Court to submit a report after seeking instructions from the Chief Justice of the High Court,” Chief Justice Chandrachud stated. He also suggested that the Supreme Court may lay down guidelines to regulate such commentary.
The Chief Justice ordered the report to be filed and submitted within two days, with the next hearing scheduled for Wednesday.
The remarks have sparked widespread criticism, with videos of Justice Srishananda going viral on social media. In one video, he refers to a Muslim-dominated locality in Bengaluru as “Pakistan.” In another, he made an objectionable remark towards a woman lawyer, implying that she was so familiar with the opposition party that she might be able to reveal the color of their undergarments.
