New Delhi— The Supreme Court on Monday expressed concern over a “growing trend” of litigants and lawyers making malicious accusations against judges after receiving unfavourable rulings. The observation came from a bench comprising Chief Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran while closing a suo motu contempt case against advocates who had made derogatory remarks about Telangana High Court judge Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya.
The apex court accepted the unconditional apology tendered by the advocates, noting that Justice Bhattacharya had already displayed “magnanimity” by accepting their apology in her order dated August 22.
Cautioning members of the legal fraternity, the bench observed that advocates must exercise restraint and responsibility while signing petitions containing objectionable or scandalous remarks against judges. “In the recent past, we have noticed a growing trend of litigants making scurrilous and scandalous allegations against the judge when they fail to get favourable orders. This practice must be strongly discouraged,” the bench remarked, as cited by LiveLaw.
Reiterating that lawyers are “officers of the court,” the Supreme Court emphasized that they owe a duty to uphold the dignity and integrity of the judiciary. The bench further referred to a recent case, E. Eswaranathan v. State, where it observed that “the majesty of law lies not in punishing someone but forgiving them for their mistakes,” and that minor professional lapses should not destroy legal careers.
While closing the contempt proceedings, the CJI Gavai-led bench issued a final note of caution, reminding lawyers to act responsibly and avoid associating themselves with petitions that malign judicial officers.
