The Supreme Court on Friday took note of a controversial comment made by a Karnataka High Court judge and has sought a report from the state’s Chief Justice. This issue arose during a landlord-tenant dispute, where Justice Vedavyasachar Srishananda referred to a Muslim-majority area in Bengaluru as “Pakistan” and made a misogynistic remark directed at a woman advocate.
A five-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, along with Justices S Khanna, BR Gavai, S Kant, and H Roy, emphasized the importance of maintaining judicial decorum during court proceedings. The bench highlighted the increasing role of social media in monitoring and amplifying court activities, stressing that judicial remarks should reflect the dignity expected in courts of law.
Chief Justice Chandrachud stated, “Attention has been drawn to media reports regarding the comments made by a Karnataka High Court judge during court proceedings. We request the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court to submit a report on this matter.”
Videos of Justice Srishananda have gone viral on social media. In one video, the judge can be heard making an inappropriate comment to a woman advocate, suggesting she might even know the color of the opposing party’s undergarments. In another video, the judge referred to a Muslim-majority area in Bengaluru as “Pakistan.”
This incident has sparked a wider debate on the decorum expected from members of the judiciary. The Supreme Court has stressed the urgency of receiving a report on the matter to ensure that appropriate guidelines are in place for judicial conduct during court proceedings.
