The Supreme Court of India, on Wednesday, concluded its proceedings against a Karnataka High Court judge who made controversial remarks during a court session. The top court criticized the judge for referring to Gori Palya, a predominantly Muslim area in Bengaluru, as “Pakistan,” a comment deemed inappropriate and against the nation’s territorial integrity.
Presided over by Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, the bench included Justices Sanjiv Khanna, Bhushan R Gavai, Surya Kant, and Hrishikesh Roy. They emphasized the need for judicial decorum, especially in an era where court sessions are frequently live-streamed and scrutinized by the public.
Despite the criticism, the Supreme Court acknowledged the judge’s “contrite apology” issued during a court session on September 21 and decided to close the suo motu matter to maintain the “interest of justice” and the “institutional respect” of the high court.
The incident came to light through social media, where videos of Justice Vedavyasachar Srishananda making the objectionable remarks during court hearings surfaced. One clip showed him labeling Gori Palya as “Pakistan,” and another featured inappropriate comments towards a female advocate. These videos sparked significant backlash from both the legal community and the public, leading to calls for judicial accountability and appropriate conduct.
In response to these developments, prominent lawyers like Indira Jaising advocated for judicial sensitivity training for Justice Srishananda, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a bias-free judicial demeanor. Following the controversy, the Karnataka High Court has temporarily banned public and social media platforms from sharing court proceedings to prevent misrepresentation.
