The Supreme Court examined concerns after a young lawyer in the Andhra Pradesh High Court was ordered into 24-hour judicial custody, prompting calls for better judicial training. It stressed that judges must act patiently and guide young lawyers.
The Supreme Court of India has issued a contempt notice on a petition filed by the Bar Council of India against Dhanya Kumar Jain after allegations that his criminal complaint made to police contained derogatory and contemptuous statements.
The Allahabad High Court upheld disciplinary action against a clerk accused of misplacing a judicial file, stressing that such misconduct threatens justice, stating the loss of any judicial record is serious and “required to be handled with iron rod.”
The Chhattisgarh High Court addressed judicial recusal and professional ethics as a judge stepped aside after his niece appeared as counsel, stating that the Chief Justice’s new bench-hunting circular “appears to be an interference of the Court functioning.”
The Supreme Court refused to interfere with the Bombay High Court’s decision to proceed with criminal contempt against advocate Nilesh C. Ojha. It said sensationalising cases and casting reckless aspersions undermines judicial independence and breaches advocate discipline standards.
The Gujarat High Court dismissed anticipatory bail to a law student accused of impersonating an advocate and misappropriating around Rs.80 lakh from multiple victims. The Court remarked, “It transpires that a noble profession of advocacy cannot be allowed to be tarnished.”
The Supreme Court dismissed a plea to stay the caste Census and rebuked the petitioner for using improper language. The Bench sharply questioned then, “‘Aapne apne petition me badtameezi ki bhasa likhi hai, kisse apna petition likhwaya hai?’ “
The Supreme Court took a firm stand against corruption as it refused to hear the bail plea of a 70-year-old lawyer accused of seeking a Rs.30-lakh bribe, stating he attempted to “sell the judiciary.” The bench told him, “You tried to sell a judge in the open market.”
The Punjab & Haryana High Court said litigants cannot backtrack or blame their lawyer after withdrawing a case. It added that “a counsel is an officer of the court and not merely a mechanical agent of the litigant” while rejecting such excuses.
Supreme Court Justice B.V. Nagarathna said judges must honour their oath and judicial dharma even when unpopular decisions risk their elevation or extensions. She stressed that judicial review must balance transformative constitutionalism with the basic structure through courts.
