Amid the backlash the judiciary is facing in recent weeks over controversial remarks and judgements, especially over oral remarks against Nupur Sharma, the chief justice of India today launched an attack on Indian media during a speech. The CJI alleged that media is creating difficulties for judiciary and harming the democracy. He expressed concerns about the “concerted campaigns” in media and social media against judges, and debates on media on cases heard by the courts calling them “ill-informed and agenda driven.”
Chief Justice of India N V Ramana made these remarks on Saturday at a public lecture at the National University of Study & Research in Law, Ranchi.
In his speech, CJI N V Ramana discussed the difficulties confronting the modern judiciary and slammed the media organizations for allegedly running Kangaroo Courts. “Of late, we see media running kangaroo courts, at times on issues even experienced judges find difficult to decide”, he said while addressing an event at the National University of Study and Research in Law in Ranchi.
He also stated that many of the media organizations were ill-informed and drove agenda-driven debates on issues involving justice delivery. “Biased views being propagated by media are affecting the people, weakening democracy, and harming the system. In this process, justice delivery gets adversely affected. This act of the media is proving to be detrimental to the health of democracy”, he said.
Of late, we see media running kangaroo courts, at times on issues even experienced judges find difficult to decide. Ill-informed & agenda driven debates on issues involving justice delivery are proving to be detrimental to health of democracy: CJI NV Ramana in Ranchi, Jharkhand pic.twitter.com/rjxlSqlH4D
— ANI (@ANI) July 23, 2022
He went on to say that the media was undermining democracy by exceeding and violating their obligations. “There is still some accountability in print media.” Electronic media, on the other hand, has no responsibility since what it presents evaporates into thin air. “Worse is social media,” the CJI claimed.
He added that it would be the best practice if the media could self-regulate and measure its words. The CJI also hinted that the media had adopted the habit of interfering in Court decisions and government practices. “You should not overstep and invite interference, either from the government or from the courts. Judges may not react immediately. Please don’t mistake it to be a weakness or helplessness. When liberties are exercised responsibly, within their domains, there will be no necessity of placing reasonable or proportionate external restrictions,” CJI Ramana was quoted.
Meanwhile, Justice Ramana also made mentioned the increase in the physical attacks on judges. “These days, we are witnessing an increasing number of physical attacks on judges…Judges have to live in the same society as the people that they have convicted, without any security or assurance of safety”, he said. He pressed that the judges were being treated separately from politicians, bureaucrats, police officers, and other public representatives.
These days, we are witnessing an increasing number of physical attacks on judges…Judges have to live in the same society as the people that they have convicted, without Any security or assurance of safety: CJI NV Ramana in Ranchi, Jharkhand pic.twitter.com/wW51CZKyp4
— ANI (@ANI) July 23, 2022
The CJI further stated that the most difficult task confronting today’s court was ‘prioritizing matters for adjudication’. “The courts cannot afford to ignore socio-economic reality.” To spare the system from needless disputes and difficulties, the judge must prioritize important concerns”. The Chief Justice went on to say that the major causes for the country’s case backlog were the failure to fill judicial vacancies and the failure to improve infrastructure.
“I shall not fail to place on record my worries about the future of judiciary in this country… The burden on an already fragile judicial infrastructure is increasing by the day. There have been a few knee-jerk reactions to augmenting infrastructure… However, I haven’t heard of any concrete plan to equip the judiciary to meet the challenges of the foreseeable future, leave alone a long-term vision for the century ahead….It is only with the coordinated efforts by the judiciary and the executive that this alarming issue of infrastructure can be addressed,” he said concluding his address at the National University of Study and Research in Law in Jharkhand’s Ranchi.
