Lead hermit-like lives and work like horses while maintaining dignity of profession, SC to judges
PTC Web Desk: The Supreme Court has emphasised the importance of discipline in the judiciary, urging judges to avoid using social media and refraining from expressing personal opinions on judicial matters. A Bench comprising Justices B V Nagarathna and N Kotiswar Singh advised judges to lead “hermit-like” lives and work “like horses” while maintaining the dignity of their profession.
“Judicial officers should not go to Facebook or comment on judgements. Tomorrow, if the judgement is cited, the judge’s prior comments may compromise impartiality. It is an open platform,” the Bench stated.
These observations arose during the hearing of a case involving the termination of two women judicial officers by the Madhya Pradesh High Court for alleged unsatisfactory performance during their probation. The court learned that one of the terminated judges had made a Facebook post, prompting concerns about the risks of judges using social media.
Senior advocate R Basant, representing one of the terminated judges, concurred with the Bench, stating that no judicial officer should post anything related to their work on social media platforms.
The Supreme Court also noted the significant sacrifices required in the judicial profession, adding, “There is no place for flamboyance in the judiciary.”
The case highlighted the termination of six women civil judges appointed in 2017 and 2018. While four were reinstated after a review, two—Aditi Kumar Sharma and Sarita Chaudhary—remained dismissed due to performance issues during their probation.
One of the dismissed judges claimed that her evaluation did not consider extenuating circumstances, including her 2021 miscarriage and her brother’s cancer diagnosis. Her plea argued that maternity and child care leave impacted her performance, a consideration overlooked in the assessment.
The Supreme Court acknowledged these grievances, particularly given the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, which affected judicial operations and case disposal evaluations. Notices have been issued to the Madhya Pradesh High Court and other stakeholders involved in the matter.
- With inputs from agencies
