The Kerala High Court Advocates’ Association (KHCAA) has officially voiced concerns over the alleged leaking of sensitive judicial information through a lawyers’ WhatsApp group known as ‘Lawyers News Network’. The association has sent a formal complaint to Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar, highlighting that the group includes not only lawyers but also judges and journalists, and that it has been a source of premature leaks of court orders and collegium recommendations.
The KHCAA has urgently called for Chief Justice Jamdar to take immediate action to prevent such breaches, which it views as threats to judicial integrity. According to the association, some court orders and administrative decisions were circulated within the group before their official release on the court’s website. “This leakage undermines the sanctity of our judicial processes and the confidentiality required within our legal system,” stated the letter to the Chief Justice.
The letter also revealed that after being alerted by the KHCAA, all High Court judges previously in the group have since left it. However, the bar body expressed ongoing concern about the participation of other judicial figures, including district judges and tribunal members, suggesting a persistent issue within the wider judiciary.
Specifically, the letter pointed to judicial officer Viveeja Sethumohan, indicating her involvement in the group during a previous controversy while she served as Chief Judicial Magistrate in Kottayam. The association accused her of monitoring discussions among lawyers inappropriately, labeling it as “treachery”.
Further, the KHCAA named several journalists from prominent media outlets as members of the group, questioning the appropriateness of their involvement in light of the leaks. The association is considering escalating the matter to the Chief Justice of India, seeking a broader examination of judicial conduct and ethics.
This complaint follows a recent altercation at the KHCAA’s annual day event, which the association claims was distorted by certain media channels to tarnish the reputation of the lawyer community. The event’s fallout has already led to disciplinary actions against three lawyers identified as primary agitators.
The association’s letter emphasized the need for a clean-up of judicial communication practices, stating, “Such incidents highlight the need for stricter controls and protocols around judicial communication to maintain public trust in our legal system.”
