“Told My Brother Judge To Keep It To My Ears”: CJI BR Gavai In Lighter Vein On Social Media Misreporting Of Judges' Remarks

Chief Justice of India BR Gavai today made a lighter vein comment on how the remarks made by Judges are wrongly portrayed on social media.

Because of the chances of misinterpretation, CJI Gavai said that he once refrained his brother Judge, Justice K Vinod Chandran, from making certain open observations in a case concerning judicial service, and instead advised him to share the comments privately with him.

The bench of CJI BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran was hearing the All India Judges Association case. When arguments were being made about the lack of promotion chances for judicial officers, CJI said in a lighter vein :

"My learned brother had something to comment, I stopped him from expressing it, when we were hearing the Dheeraj Mor case. Otherwise, on this social media, we don't know what will be reported. I requested my learned brother to restrict it only to my ears." 

Earlier, CJI had expressed concerns over how his comments in a case concerning a dilapidated Lord Vishnu idol at a Khajuraho temple were misinterpreted by social media users.

Previously, CJI had flagged the out-of-context reporting of oral comments made by Judges, which led to a wrong depiction of Court proceedings. "Only last week, one of my colleagues in a lighter vein counselled a junior counsel on the art of court craft and soft skills. Instead, his statement was taken out of context and reported in the media as, “Our ego is very fragile; if you offend it, your case will go out," CJI had said in a public event in June this year.

The bench also referred the present matter to a 5-judge constitution bench, for it to examine issues relating to the career stagnation faced by young judicial officers, who join entry-level posts, due to limited promotional avenues in judicial service.

Case Details : ALL INDIA JUDGES ASSOCIATION AND ORS. Versus UNION OF INDIA AND ORS.W.P.(C) No. 1022/1989