NEW DELHI: Criticising judges in the media by lawyers has become very common and attributing “political colours” to judgments amounted to “sheer contempt”, the Supreme Court has said.
It said however that power of contempt with the court is a weapon like “Bhramastra”, to be used sparingly.
The Apex Court also said that cases cannot be decided by “media trial” and the bar and bench have their own in-built machinery to deal with grievance and no outside interference can be allowed.
Judges who are attacked are not supposed to go to the press or the media to ventilate their point of view, it added.
It said lawyers are not supposed to be “money guzzlers” and should not involve in influencing fair decision making process.
While referring to various attacks made on the judicial system from time to time, the court said a lot of sacrifices are made to serve the judiciary which is not less than call of military service.
A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Vineet Saran said that whenever any political matter is decided by the court either way, “political insinuations” are attributed by “unscrupulous persons/advocates”.
The bench made these comments in its 78-page judgement dated January 28, while striking down certain amended Rules of the Madras High Court including the one to debar a lawyer from practising. (AGENCIES)
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