Don't Seek God In Judges, We're Humble Public Servants : Justice MM Sundresh

“Please don't seek God in us, please seek god in justice”, told Supreme Court judge-Justice MM Sundresh to a counsel today, who assailed as 'contemptuous' a client's notice stating that judges get "fixed" by lawyers.

A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and K Vinod Chandran was hearing an advocate's plea for discharge from a case, on the basis that the client was not heeding to his advice and making aspersions of fixation against judges.

The Advocate-on-Record who appeared for this advocate submitted that the issue was a serious one, affecting the entire lawyer community. "We see God in our judges", she expressed.

"When we took oath as lawyers 40 years ago, we took [...] the judicial system and the rule of law. We have Supreme Court Rules. There is a notice given by his client (client of the lawyer seeking discharge) that the judges are getting fixed through lawyers, which is very contemptuous. We are the AoRs. We withdraw from the cases if we find that there is some dishonesty going on", the AoR further added.

Asking the AoR to not get emotionally swayed, Justice Sundresh remarked that judges are "humble public servants" and not bothered by such remarks. Instead of judges, people should see God in justice, the judge said.

Eventually, the bench allowed the advocate seeking discharge to be discharged from the case.

It may be recalled that in 2024, ex-Chief Justice of India Dr DY Chandrachud also expressed similar sentiment and emphasized on the dangers of equating judges with Gods. Speaking at the inaugural session of a conference in Kolkata, Justice Chandrachud stressed that the role of judges is to serve public interest, not to be revered as deities. "Too very often, we are addressed as Honour or as Lordship or as Ladyship. There is a very grave danger when people say that the court is a temple of justice. There is a grave danger that we perceive ourselves as the deities in those temples", remarked the former CJI.

In 2023, taking note of a litigant appearing with 'folded hands and tears in her eyes' to plead her case in person, a Kerala High Court judge also emphasized that judges should not be treated like Gods. "Usually the court of law is known as 'temple of justice'. But there is no god sitting in the bench. The judges are doing their constitutional duties and obligations", said Justice PV Kunhikrishnan.

Case Title: GOVIND RAM PANDEY AND ANR. Versus NUTAN PRAKASH AND ORS., SLP(C) No. 12579-12580/2025