SC pulls up Karnataka High Court judge over ‘Pakistan’ remark, advises caution in ’age of social media’

The Supreme Court, on Friday, pulled up the Karnataka High Court and sought a report regarding controversial statements made by Justice Vedavyasachar Srishananda during a recent hearing. The apex court took suo motu cognizance of the video clips containing the controversial comments made by the judge.

While discussing a landlord-tenant dispute, Justice Srishananda had referred to a Muslim-majority area in Bengaluru as “Pakistan”. In another case, he had also made a misogynistic remark about a woman lawyer.

A five-judge bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, Surya Kant and Hrishikesh Roy heard the matter. The apex court directed the registrar general of the high court to submit a report to the Supreme Court after seeking administrative directions from the chief justice of Karnataka HC.

"Attention has been drawn to media reports to the comments made by Justice...of Karnataka High Court during the court proceedings. We request the Karnataka High Court to submit a report after seeking instructions from the chief justice of the high court," Chief Justice Chandrachud said, reported Live Law.

‘Age of social media’

During the hearing, CJI Chandrachud advised caution as all court hearings were live-streamed and were subject to criticism. “In this age of social media, we are closely watched, and we have to act accordingly,” the CJI said, according to the report.

The video clips, of the judge, in which he was seen making objectionable remarks, have also surfaced on the social media platform X, with several prominent advocates such as Indira Jaising calling for suo moto cognisance.

She further commented that the Karnataka High Court judge be sent for "gender sensitising training".

In the video clip, Justice Srishananda can be heard telling the female advocate that she knew a lot about the 'opposition party', so much so that she might be able to tell the colour of the undergarments of the person in question.

Advocate Indira Jaising has been representing the junior doctors in West Bengal in the RG Kar rape-murder case in Kolkata. 

Justice Srishananda's matter will be next considered on September 23, as per the report.

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