Criticise the verdicts, not the judges: that is the line the Bar Council of Delhi has drawn in a letter to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, condemning unsubstantiated personal attacks on judges.
New Delhi: The Bar Council of Delhi, the statutory body for advocates in Delhi under the Advocates Act, 1961, has written to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant in support of the judiciary, condemning personal attacks against judges and urging lawyers and citizens to exercise restraint [Letter of the Bar Council of Delhi to the Chief Justice of India, Ref. No. 246/Gen/SF/2026].
The letter, dated October 13, 2026 and made public on Thursday, is signed by Chairman Nitin Ahlawat, Honorary Secretary Ramit Sehrawat and the Chairman of the Council’s Executive Committee.
Criticism of judgments, yes; personal attacks, no
The Council describes the judiciary as an indispensable pillar of constitutional democracy and says the rule of law can survive only where the courts are independent and effective. It accepts that constructive criticism of judicial decisions is a recognised feature of a democratic society, but sets that apart from attacks aimed at judges themselves.
“unsubstantiated personal attacks cannot be tolerated and is condemnable”
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The harm the Council points to
Uncorroborated and sensational allegations, particularly on public and digital platforms, cause unjustified prejudice when they come without concrete evidence, the letter says. In the Council’s view, such allegations get in the way of the regular functioning of the justice delivery system and lower the dignity of the courts in the eyes of the public.
It therefore asks all members of the Bar, and responsible citizens, to uphold the majesty of the law and to stop amplifying unsubstantiated narratives that erode the integrity of the institution.
The backdrop
The letter does not name any person, party or post. It follows separate resolutions issued on October 12 by the Supreme Court Bar Association and the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association, which condemned social media calls for the Chief Justice’s resignation, and a petition by four advocates in the Supreme Court seeking contempt action against the Congress and some of its leaders over such posts. The respondents in that petition have not yet answered it in court, and no finding has been made on any of the posts.
A statement, not an order
The letter sets out the Council’s view and carries no direction to any advocate. It does not say which allegations it has in mind, and whether any particular post amounts to contempt is a question for the Supreme Court, where a petition on such posts is pending.
Letter: Bar Council of Delhi to the Chief Justice of India, Supreme Court of India
Ref. No.: 246/Gen/SF/2026
Date: October 13, 2026
Signatories: Nitin Ahlawat (Chairman), Ramit Sehrawat (Honorary Secretary) and the Chairman, Executive Committee