Judges should not aim at breaking news: Kurian Joseph

KOZHIKODE: A judge should administer justice and never try to be the administrator of the state, opined Supreme Court Judge Justice Kurian Joseph. “Judges shall not cross the ‘lakshman rekha’ of their role, otherwise it would be a disrespect to the Constitution and the system”, he said.

He was addressing the valedictory function of the National seminar on ‘Current issues before the legal profession and the judiciary’ organised by the Bar Association of India in Kozhikode on Saturday. He added that the media trial on pending cases was contempt of court and the media should play a constructive role in the betterment of the legal system.

“Judges should have a clear idea about their role. They are meant for delivering judgments. They shall not take up the role of political executives or the media. They should only comment on their cases and never think of breaking news,” he said.

He added that the media should stop giving such comments. “If the media stops giving such comments the judge makes during a hearing, then automatically he will stop making such comments,” he added.

Lashing out at the media trial while referring to the Nirbhaya case, the Supreme Court judge said that media debates and judgments on pending cases were disrespectful to the system and should be considered as contempt of court.

He added that there should be a stipulated timeframe to deliver judgments in cases and the chief justice should monitor and publish a list of those judges who failed to meet the deadline.

During the inaugural address, Kerala HC Chief Justice Ashok Bhushan said that there should be a revamp of the legal education in the country.