Judges must not engage in inappropriate activities: CJ

Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha in a meeting with the judges of the Supreme Court yesterday cautioned them against getting involved in inappropriate activities.

The image of the judiciary cannot be tarnished by the immoral activities of a few judges, he said while presiding over the full-court meeting where the judges of the appellate and high court divisions of the SC were present.

The meeting was held at the conference lounge of the SC yesterday afternoon in order to discuss some urgent issues, meeting sources said.

Quoting the chief justice they said there were allegations that some lawyers, who are members of some judges' families, moved cases before the benches of their friendly judges to get orders in their favour.

During the last Supreme Court vacation, some orders of bail were issued in cases that did not deserve bails, a source said citing the chief justice's statement.

The judges are accountable for their activities, Justice SK Sinha said. Show-cause notices would be issued and appropriate action would be taken if allegations were brought against any judge in connection with indulging in anomalies and if the allegations were found to be true, he said.

Sources said the chief justice issued the warning so that all judges work more honestly, sincerely, punctually and no question could be raised about their activities after the Supreme Judicial Council was restored.

The Supreme Judicial Council, led by the chief justice and two senior-most judges of the Appellate Division, has been restored following the SC verdict that upheld a High Court judgement scrapping the 16th amendment of the constitution.

The 16th amendment had empowered parliament to remove judges for incapacity or misconduct.