CJI Chandrachud slams Karnataka HC judge’s controversial remarks, says no part of India can be called Pakistan

Pak Remark. hoto courtesy: Screenshot grab from YouTube live-streaming video

#SupremeCourt, #CJI, #DYChandrachud, #KarnatakaHighCourt, #VedavyasacharSrishananda, #Pakistan

New Delhi/IBNS-CMEDIA: Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on Wednesday said no part of India can be called Pakistan besides taking a strong note of the misogynistic remark passed by Karnataka High Court Vedavyasachar Srishananda, media reports said.

In a court hearing, Justice Srishananda referred to a Muslim-majority area in Bengaluru as “Pakistan”. The video of his remark went viral as the court proceedings are now live-streamed.

The same judge told a female lawyer that she has knowledge about her opponent to an extent that she even knows the colour of his undergarment.

In a suo motu cognisance, a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court led by the CJI earlier had said there is a need to establish clear guidelines for constitutional court judges over their remarks in the courtroom.https://www.youtube.com/embed/57J5RlHc89Q?si=kMZuvdUPnQPBo4k4

On Wednesday, CJI Chandrachud said as quoted by NDTV, “No one can call any part of territory of India as ‘Pakistan’,” Chief Justice Chandrachud said. “It is fundamentally against the territorial integrity of the nation. The answer to sunlight is more sunlight and not to suppress what happens in court. The answer is not to close it down.”

“Casual observational may indicate personal biases especially when perceived to be directed at a certain gender or community. Thus one must be wary of making patriarchal or misogynistic comments.

“We express our serious concern about observations on a certain gender or a community and such observations are liable to be construed in a negative light. We hope and trust that the responsibilities entrusted to all stakeholders are discharged without bias and caution,” he added.

After a public apology from Justice Srishananda, the Supreme Court closed the proceedings.

Slamming Justice Srishananda, senior advocate Indira Jaising, who is now representing the West Bengal junior doctors in the RG Kar rape-murder case, had posted on X, ” We call upon the Chief Justice of India to take suo moto action agsinst this judge and send him for gender sensitisation training.”

We call upon the Chief Justice of India to take suo moto action agsinst this judge and send him for gender sensitisation training. pic.twitter.com/MPEP6x8Jov— Indira Jaising (@IJaising) September 19, 2024