Writing judgment after retirement unconstitutional

Some judges make unusual delays to write verdicts while others continue to write it even long after their retirement, which goes against the law and the constitution, Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha said yesterday.

He made the comment in a message on the occasion of the first anniversary of his taking office as the 21st chief justice of the country.

Supreme Court judges take oath of upholding laws and the constitution. But after retirement, a judge is not under oath anymore and is a common citizen then, the CJ noted.

Court documents are public documents. A judge after his retirement loses the rights to keep court documents in his possession, and prepare, review or sign verdicts, he said in the message available on the SC website.

He added he hoped judges would refrain from doing such unlawful activities, showing some respect for the law.

Sinha became chief justice on January 17 last year.

The Appellate Division of the SC disposed of 9,356 cases till November 30 since his appointment, he said.

In the previous year, 5,789 cases were disposed of, he added.

In the High Court, the number was 33,380 till November last year.  It was 22,477 till December 31, 2014.