CJI BR Gavai Cautions Against Misinterpretation Of Judges’ Oral Remarks On Social Media

The CJI was speaking during a hearing in the court, a day after a lawyer, who claimed to be unhappy over the chief justice's remarks made last month on a plea for restoration of a Vishnu idol in Khajuraho, attempted to throw a shoe at him, an incident that drew widespread condemnation.

Speaking in a lighter vein today, CJI Gavai shared an anecdote about having restrained his colleague, Justice K Vinod Chandran, from making certain open observations during a previous hearing of a matter to avoid potential misinterpretation online.

"My learned brother (Justice K Vinod Chandran) had something to comment, I stopped him from expressing it, when we were hearing the Dheeraj Mor case. Otherwise, on this social media, we do not know what will be reported. I requested my learned brother to restrict it only to my ears," the CJI said.

The bench comprising the CJI and Justice Chandran was hearing a plea filed by the All India Judges Association on issues related to service conditions, pay scales, and career progression of judicial officers.

It referred to issues related to career stagnation faced by lower judicial officers across the country to a five-judge Constitution bench.

In an unprecedented and shocking incident, an elderly lawyer attempted to hurl a shoe towards the CJI in his courtroom on Monday. According to police sources, the errant lawyer was unhappy over the CJI's remarks during a hearing last month concerning the restoration of a Vishnu idol in Khajuraho.

A bench headed by the CJI had dismissed the plea seeking directions to reconstruct and reinstall a seven-foot idol of Lord Vishnu at the Javari temple, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Khajuraho temple complex in Madhya Pradesh.

Terming the plea a "publicity interest litigation", the CJI had said, "This is purely publicity interest litigation.... Go and ask the deity himself to do something. If you are saying that you are a strong devotee of Lord Vishnu, then you pray and do some meditation."

Taking note of the online criticism of his comments, the CJI later said he respects "all religions".