Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai expressed concern over rude behavior by judges, urging them to respect their oath and serve the judiciary with dedication. He emphasized the importance of kindness in courtrooms and adapting legal interpretation to modern needs.
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NEW DELHI: Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai shared strong views about how judges behave in court. He said that being rude to lawyers or government officials during court hearings doesn’t help anyone and “hardly serves any purpose.”
While speaking at the launch of live-streaming proceedings of the Bombay High Court, he praised the court’s well-written judgments and said he felt proud when people appreciated them.
But he also mentioned that he was receiving many complaints about some judges acting in a disrespectful and rude manner.
“Lately, I have been receiving a lot of complaints regarding rude behaviour from some colleagues. I have always believed that the opportunity to serve as a judge is not a 10-to-5 job. It is an opportunity to serve society and the nation,”
-said the Chief Justice.
He also remembered what a senior judge once told him—that very few people are chosen to serve the country as judges, and that this role demands dedication and commitment.
“Behaving rudely with lawyers or frequently summoning officers to court hardly serves any purpose,”
-he emphasised.
With a touch of humour, he added-
“One should keep the atmosphere in the courtroom pleasant—it helps maintain the blood pressure and diabetes levels of everyone, including judges and lawyers.”
The CJI also mentioned that he has been hearing troubling reports about some judges not taking their work seriously.
“Another disturbing piece of news I’ve been receiving from a bench—which I don’t wish to name—is that some judges have been behaving rudely, while others are functioning like part-time judges. If you have taken the oath to serve in this august office, then sitting for just one hour in the first half and again in the second half belittles that oath. You are not being true to it.”
He urged all judges to respect their position and maintain the reputation of the judiciary.
“Please do not do anything that brings disrepute to this august institution—an institution whose reputation has been painstakingly built over generations by the devotion and dedication of lawyers and judges.”
He also invited everyone to his retirement dinner, which will take place on November 23 this year.
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Talking about how laws should be understood today, he said that the Constitution should be interpreted according to current realities.
“On the issue of Parliament’s power to amend the Constitution, the Supreme Court had stated that the Constitution is a living, evolving document. Parliament must have the power to amend it to meet the needs of society arising from socio-economic developments. Therefore, when we interpret laws and the Constitution, it must be in the context of present-day challenges. The interpretation must be pragmatic and suited to the needs of society,”
-he observed.
The CJI also spoke about a new system introduced by the Supreme Court. Before recommending someone to become a judge, they now have a personal interaction to assess the candidate better. He said it helped identify potential problems in time.
“Interaction does help. Recent incidents in some High Courts—fortunately not at the Bombay High Court—have shown that it is possible to assess candidates to some extent. One such incident occurred recently in a neighbouring High Court. I won’t share the details, but I urge my colleagues at the Bombay High Court to ensure that such incidents do not take place here, where we have a rich tradition.”
Later that day, while attending another function by the Advocates Association of Western India, he remembered a powerful message by late Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray.
He quoted him saying-
“If you do not eradicate social and economic inequalities, the edifice of democracy that has been so laboriously built will collapse like a house of cards.”
To end his speech, the CJI gave a hopeful message. He said things are slowly improving, and even though it has only been 75 years of working under the Constitution, it’s not a long time. He said all parts of the government are working towards progress.
“75 years is not too long for the working of a Constitution.”
He assured that the legislative, executive, and judiciary are all trying to bring social and economic balance in the country.
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