The Supreme Court of India has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports regarding controversial comments made by a Karnataka High Court judge towards a woman lawyer.
A five-judge bench, led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, has directed the Karnataka High Court to submit a report on the matter. The Supreme Court also called upon the Attorney General and Solicitor General to assist in the proceedings.
The controversy arose after two video clips surfaced on social media, showing the judge making gender-insensitive remarks about a woman lawyer. In another clip, he allegedly referred to a Muslim-majority locality in Bengaluru as “Pakistan.”
The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for September 25 and requested a report from the Registrar General of the Karnataka High Court, following administrative directions from the Chief Justice of the High Court.
During the proceedings, the bench emphasized the importance of judicial conduct in the age of social media, stating that judges are under close scrutiny and must act accordingly.
Prominent advocates, including Senior Advocate Indira Jaising, have called for action against the judge, urging the Chief Justice of India to send him for gender sensitization training. The circulating videos have sparked widespread calls for accountability within the judiciary.