Supreme Court Justice NV Ramana. (AND ME)
Justice Ramana, who will become the Chief Justice of India after incumbent SA Bobde steps down in April next year, delivered a speech at the virtual launch of a book written by retired Justice R Banumathi.
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- Last update: September 12, 2020 7:17 PM IST
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In this age of social media, judges are increasingly becoming the subjects of juicy gossip and defamatory posts, Supreme Court Justice NV Ramana said on Saturday.
Justice Ramana, who will become the Chief Justice of India after incumbent SA Bobde steps down in April next year, delivered a speech at the virtual launch of a book written by retired Justice R Banumathi.
“The judges are limited to speaking in their own defense. So now they are being interpreted as easy targets for criticism, ”Judge Ramana lamented. He added: “This problem is further complicated by the proliferation of social media and technology. The judges are becoming the subject of juicy gossip and defamatory posts on social media. “
Judge Ramana took the opportunity to speak about the lives of judges and the need for their personal independence in the launch of the book entitled ‘Judicial Power, Judges and Administration of Justice’.
The chief judge was emphatic that “the life of a judge is not a bed of roses.” He said there is a misunderstanding that judges lead a life of luxury in their ivory towers. “From my own experience, I can affirm that the life of a judge is not a bed of roses. The reality is quite different from what people understand. The best judges of the same are family members, who are generally torn between constraints and relationships, ”Judge Ramana said.
He added that judges must balance their social life and have self-imposed restrictions to be independent. “It is completely up to the judge to maintain those self-imposed restrictions and the ways to do it,” Judge Ramana said.
He cited a statement made by Judge Aharon Barak, a former judge of Israel’s Supreme Court, who observed that “a crucial condition for judicial independence is the personal independence of the judge.”
Judge Ramana’s views found support in CJI SA Bobde, who said that judges are called to do the things that others tend to avoid.
The CJI, in an apparent reference to the recent wave of criticism from the highest echelons of the judiciary, maintained: “The freedom of expression of judges is restricted by the same laws and mechanisms that defend that freedom for others, as They use to criticize the judiciary and judges. “
He also stressed the need for judicial independence to go hand in hand with judicial responsibility. “For the public to deeply respect the judges, the judges must maintain a dignified demeanor and a distant attitude,” he added.
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