IN RE: REMARKS BY HIGH COURT JUDGE DURING COURT PROCEEDINGS versus
[2024] 9 S.C.R. 668, Supreme Court of India, 2024
Outcome: Unknown
Segment: Issues
[2024] 9 S.C.R. 668 : 2024 INSC 758
In Re: Remarks By High Court Judge During  
Court Proceedings
(Suo Motu Writ (Civil) No. 9 of 2024)
25 September 2024
[Dr Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud,* CJI, Sanjiv Khanna,  
B.R. Gavai, Surya Kant and Hrishikesh Roy, JJ.]
Issue for Consideration
Certain misogynistic remarks as well as comments prejudicial to 
a particular community were made by a Judge of the High Court 
of Karnataka in the course of the judicial proceedings. Suo motu 
case taken up by the Supreme Court.
Headnotes†
Judicial Discipline – Misogynistic comments to a woman lawyer 
and casual observations against a particular community at 
large made by the Judge during judicial proceedings – Suo 
motu proceedings taken up by the Supreme Court however, 
notice was not issued to the Judge to maintain the institutional 
dignity of the High Courts and the Judges:
Held: The report submitted by the Registrar General of the High 
Court of Karnataka showed that the observations made were 
unrelated to the course of the proceedings – They should have 
been eschewed – Serious concern expressed about the reference to 
gender and to a segment of the community, deprecated – Accepting 
the apology tendered by the Judge in the open court proceedings, 
in the interest of preserving the dignity of the institution, proceedings 
not pursued further. [Paras 17, 13]
Administration of Justice – Access to justice – Live reporting 
of court proceedings – Casual observations, impact – 
Responsibility of
judges, lawyers and other stake holders, 
discussed.
List of Acts
Karnataka Rules on Live Streaming and Recording of Court 
Proceedings 2021; Rules for Video Conferencing for Courts 2020 
by High Court of Karnataka.
* Author
[2024] 9 S.C.R. 
669
In Re: Remarks By High Court Judge During Court Proceedings
List of Keywords
Remarks by High Court Judge; Casual observations during judicial 
proceedings; Misogynistic comments; Comments prejudicial to 
a segment of the society; Judicial discipline; Judicial conduct;  
Suo motu proceedings; Administration of Justice; Live reporting 
of court proceedings; Apology by the Judge.
Case Arising From
CIVIL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION: Suo Motu Writ (Civil) No. 9  
of 2024
(Under Article 32 of The Constitution of India)
Appearances for Parties
By Courts Motion.
Mr. R. Venkataramani, Attorney General, Tushar Mehta, Solicitor 
General, Advs. for the Respondent.
Judgment / Order of the Supreme Court
Judgment
Dr Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, CJI
1.	
The Court was apprised of reports circulating in the media pertaining 
to comments attributed to Justice V Srishananda, a Judge of the 
High Court of Karnataka, during the conduct of judicial proceedings.
2.	
In this backdrop, a suo motu proceeding has been registered.
3.	
On 20 September 2024, the Registrar General of the High Court 
of Karnataka was requested to submit a report after seeking 
administrative directions of the Chief Justice of the High Court of 
Karnataka in regard to the subject matter of the suo motu proceedings.
4.	
A report dated 23 September 2024 has been submitted by Mr K S 
Bharath Kumar, Registrar General of the High Court of Karnataka, 
in pursuance of the above directions.
5.	
The report deals with two
proceedings before the Judge, the first of 
which took place on 6 June 2024 and the second on 28 August 2024. 
The Registrar General has submitted a transcript, duly translated as
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a part of his report, bearing in mind the fact that some part of the 
dialogue in the Court had taken place in Kannada. The report, insofar 
as the proceedings of 6 June 2024 are concerned, is set out below:
“The Proceedings on 6th June 2024,
3. On the aforesaid date, in Court Hall No.26, in the court 
presided over by Hon’ble Shri Justice Vedavyasachar 
Srishananda, the proceedings of Criminal Revision Petition 
No.634 of 2021 filed under Section 397 read with Section 401 
of Code of Criminal Procedure 1973 in M.V. Krishnappa v. M. 
Srinivas were conducted. Therein the petitioner had prayed 
to set aside the judgment and order dated 15th February 2021 
passed by learned Principal District and Sessions Judge, 
Bengaluru Rural District in Criminal Application No.26 of 
2020 confirming the judgment and order of conviction and 
sentence dated 25th February 2020 by the Additional Chief 
Judicial Magistrate, Bengaluru Rural District, Bengaluru in 
Criminal Case No.8381 of 2018 convicting the petitioner-
accused for the offence punishable under Section 138 of the 
Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 and imposing sentence 
of six months simple imprisonment to the accused and in 
default to pay Rs.25,10,000/- towards fine.
3.1 The proceedings of the court were being live-streamed. 
During the aforesaid proceedings, part of the submissions, 
conversation and comments were as under, which is the 
part got widely circulated in the social
media through 
YouTube clips,
Hon’ble Judge:
Do you understand that…
Learned Advocate for the Respondent:
It is admitted My Lords…
Hon’ble Judge:
Do you understand?
Learned Advocate for the Respondent:
I understand that concept.
[2024] 9 S.C.R. 
671
In Re: Remarks By High Court Judge During Court Proceedings
Hon’ble Judge:
Where is the books of Accounts. Give us. Are you an 
Income Tax Assessee?
Learned Advocate for the Petitioner:
Yes, he is an Income Tax Assessee
Hon’ble Judge:
Wait amma
Learned Advocate for the Petitioner:
Sorry sir, sorry sorry sorry, sir sorry
Hon’ble Judge:
Why you are telling, you know everything about the 
opponent.
At this point, the learned Advocate for the Respondent 
tries to intervene, Hon’ble Judge continues…
If you are asked tomorrow morning, you will tell everything 
and you will also tell the color of the undergarment he 
wears.
Learned Advocate for the Respondent:
Both are friends and it is a story of a carpenter…
[The above submissions, conversations and comments in 
the video clipping is available from 7.27 to 7.53 minutes]
3.2 The above conversation and comments are available 
through virtual access in the form of recorded video clipping. 
The part of the conversation took place in vernacular-
Kannada language, which part is submitted with true 
translation. The text of the conversation is submitted in 
exact form.
3.3 It may be stated that the clipping submitted herewith 
to the Hon’ble Court contains portion of previous part as 
well as portion of subsequent part also to ensure the link 
and in order to put forth the total.”
(emphasis supplied)
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6.	
The report indicates that one of parties to the proceedings was 
represented by a lawyer who is a woman. The report also contains 
a narration of the proceedings which took place on 28 August 2024 
and is reproduced below:
“The proceedings on 28th August 2024,
4.	
On this day, in the court presided by the same Hon’ble 
Judge of the High Court of Karnataka, proceedings 
of House Rent Revision Petition No.28 of 2021 filed 
under Section 115 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 
1908 in Miss Rina Vitha D Souza Vs. Mr. A M Alwyn 
Pinto and another were underway. The Revision was 
against judgment dated 20th March 2021 delivered 
in Rent Revision Petition No.7 of 2019 on the file 
of learned Principal District and Sessions Judge, 
Dakshina Kannada-Mangaluru dismissing the petition 
and confirming the order dated 6th December 2018 
passed in House Rent Case No.22 of 2013 by learned 
Principal Civil Judge, Dakshina Kannada-Mangaluru 
dismissing the petition filed, under Section 27(2)(a)
(c)(r) and (o) read with Section 5 of the Karnataka 
Rent Act.
4.1	 In the aforesaid proceedings in the Court, the Hon’ble 
Judge made the following observations and the 
remarks,
“Hon’ble Judge: Even after that incident that happened 
where that van got upsided...capsized and then fell 
down and 3 small children died, no action, police is 
tally inactive. When something like this happens, one 
would stand for two days and blow whistle and say 
stop
that, stop this.
They are into lobby. Majority of the school are run by 
the so and so and so and so, so they manage. You 
don’t look into. Go to Mysuru Road flyover, every auto 
rickshaw has got 10 people, every auto rickshaw, it 
is not applicable because the Mysore Road flyover, 
till up to the market from Gori Palya is in Pakistan, 
not in India. This is the reality, this is the reality.
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In Re: Remarks By High Court Judge During Court Proceedings
If you put any strict officer in that area, let me see 
who would catch such person, no channel will see it.
This is the problem you know, 9 people 10 people in 
an auto rickshaw two beside the driver.
Every two minutes, you will find one auto rickshaw 
dropping the people there in soon after city market, 
no Rule is applicable. That is the problem. So, it is 
all there. People are also of that nature.
[The above submissions, conversations and 
comments in the video clipping is available from 
18.37 to 20.05 minutes]
4.2	 The reproduction of the observations is in exact words 
as were made in the vernacular-Kannada language, 
with true translation in English of the part spoken in 
Kannada language.
4.3	 The above conversation and comments are available 
through virtual access in the form of recorded video 
clipping. The part of the conversation took place in 
vernacular-Kannada language, which part is submitted 
with true translation. The text of the conversation is 
mentioned in the same form.”
(emphasis supplied)
7.	
The High Court of Karnataka has notified the Karnataka Rules on 
Live Streaming and Recording of Court Proceedings 2021 with effect 
from 1 January 2022. The report of the Registrar General states that 
live streaming of the court proceedings is conducted in accordance 
with the Rules and is transmitted through the official YouTube channel 
of the High Court of Karnataka. As of
date, it has a subscription of 
1,38,000 subscribers. The High Court of Karnataka has also notified 
Rules for Video Conferencing for Courts 2020 with effect from 25 
June 2020 to regulate the conduct of court proceedings through the 
video conferencing mode. Video recordings in relation to the court 
proceedings on 6 June 2024 and 28 August 2024 are a part of the 
video recordings officially maintained by the High Court of Karnataka.
8.	
The Court presided over by Justice V Srishananda assembled on 
21 September 2024 after this Court had taken suo motu notice of
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the above events on 20 September 2024,. During the course of 
the post-lunch session, Justice Srishananda proceeded to read out 
an address in the presence of the members of the Bar, including 
the President, Secretary and other office bearers of the Bengaluru 
Advocates Association.
9.	
The report of the Registrar General reproduced the text of what 
was stated by the Judge in the course of the proceedings on 21 
September 2024, thus:
“Sir, this is through the Bar Association to all in general. Few 
observations made by the court during the course of judicial 
proceedings are being quoted out of context in social media. 
Those observations of this Court are totally unintentional 
and not to hurt the feelings of any sections of the society 
at large or any individual in particular. However, if any of 
the section of the society or individual has been directly 
or indirectly hurt by the observations of this Court, with all 
sincerity I regret the same. Convey it to the concerned.”
10.	 As in the case of the earlier two proceedings, the video clip containing 
the above part forms a part of the official video recordings maintained 
by the High Court of Karnataka. The video recordings have been 
submitted to this Court in a pen drive.
11.	 The proceedings which took place before the Court of Justice V 
Srishananda on 21 September 2024 indicate that the Judge has 
indicated that:
(i)	
Certain observations made by him have been
quoted out of 
context in social media;
(ii)	
The observations made by him in the course of court proceedings 
were unintentional and were not intended to hurt the feelings 
of any section of society or any individual, in particular; and
(iii)	 An apology was tendered by him, if any section of society 
or any individual “has been directly or indirectly hurt by the 
observations” (made on 6 June 2024 and 28 August 2024).
12.	 We have consciously desisted from issuing notice to the Judge 
of the High Court of Karnataka in the interest of maintaining the 
institutional dignity of the High Courts and the Judges who occupy 
those offices.
[2024] 9 S.C.R. 
675
In Re: Remarks By High Court Judge During Court Proceedings
13.	 Bearing in mind the apology which has been tendered by the Judge of 
the High Court in the course of open court proceedings on 21 September 
2024, we consider it in the interest of preserving the dignity of the 
institution to not pursue these proceedings further. However, before 
concluding the proceedings, it would be necessary for this Court to 
make some observations having a bearing on what has transpired..
14.	 The prevalence and reach of social media encompasses the live 
reporting of court proceedings. Most High Courts in the country 
have adopted rules for live streaming and for the extension of video 
conferencing facilities for hearing of cases. While it emerged as a 
necessity in the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, video conferencing, 
together with live streaming of proceedings, has emerged as an 
important outreach facility for courts to promote access to justice. 
Live-streaming has provided fresh sunlight. The answer to sunlight 
is to provide more sunlight. All stake holders in the judicial system, 
including judges, lawyers and parties in person, have to be conscious 
of the fact that the reach of judicial proceedings extends beyond 
those who are physically present. The reach of judicial hearings 
extends to audiences well beyond the physical precincts of the 
court. This places an added responsibility on judges and lawyers as 
well as litigants who appear in person to
conduct the proceedings 
conscious of the wide and immediate impact of casual observations 
on the community at large. 
15.	 Judges need to be conscious of the fact that each individual bears 
a certain degree of accumulated predispositions, based on their 
experiences of life. Some may be early experiences. Others are 
gained later. Every Judge should be aware of those predispositions. 
The heart and soul of judging lies in the need to be impartial and 
fair. Intrinsic to that process is the need for every Judge to be aware 
of their own predispositions. Awareness of these predispositions is 
the first step in excluding them in the decision making process. It 
is on the basis of that awareness that a judge can be faithful to the 
fundamental obligation to render objective and fair justice. Every 
stake holder in the administration of justice has to understand that 
the only values which must guide decision making are those which 
are enshrined in the Constitution of India. 
16.	 Casual observations often reflect individual bias, particularly, when 
they are likely to be perceived as being directed against a particular
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gender or community. Courts, therefore, have to be careful not to 
make comments in the course of judicial proceedings which may 
be construed as being misogynistic or, for that matter, prejudicial to 
any segment of our society.
17.	 The report which has been submitted by the Registrar General 
would amply indicate that the observations which were made in the 
course of the proceedings before the High Court of Karnataka were 
unrelated to the course of the proceedings. They should have been 
eschewed. The perception of justice to every segment of society is 
as important as the rendition of justice as an objective fact.
18.	 Since the Judge of the High Court of Karnataka is not a party to these 
proceedings, we desist from making any further observations, save 
and except to express our serious concern about both the reference 
to gender and to a segment of the community. Such observations 
are liable to be construed in a negative light thereby impacting not 
only the court of the Judge who expressed them, but the judicial 
system as well.
19.	 We have made these observations in the hope and expectation 
that the demands which have been placed on all stake holders in 
the judicial system in the electronic age would elicit an appropriate 
modulation of behaviour both on the part of the Bar and the Bench 
in the future.
20.	 The proceedings shall stand concluded with these observations.
21.	 Pending application, if any,
stands disposed of.
Result of the Case: Proceedings concluded.
†Headnotes prepared by: Divya Pandey