Speaking at the National Judicial Academy Conference in Kolkata on June 29, Justice Gavai said ever since he became a part of the SC Collegium, “many disturbing instances have come to my notice”.
Underlining the importance of judicial discipline, Supreme Court judge Justice B R Gavai has cautioned against what he said were “disturbing instances” of High Court judges not being punctual and canvassing for elevation to the top court and termed such canvassing as “injurious to the principle of discipline”.
Speaking at the National Judicial Academy Conference in Kolkata on June 29, Justice Gavai said ever since he became a part of the SC Collegium, “many disturbing instances have come to my notice”.
“Some of the judges in some of the High Courts do not sit on time. It is shocking to know that some of the judges, though the court timings are 10.30 a.m., sit at 11.30 a.m. and get up at 12.30 p.m. though the court timings are up to 1.30 p.m. It is more shocking to know that some of the Judges do not sit in the second half,” he said.
Justice Gavai added that “it pains to mention that some of the judges even go to the extent of canvassing their candidature for elevation to the Supreme Court. They try to prove their case as to how they are more suitable for elevation to the Supreme Court than the other senior judges of the said court.”
Explaining the process of appointments, he pointed out that “the Collegium works on a database which has the information of all the judges who are in the zone of consideration. Apart from that, inputs from various sources, including the opinions of the Consultee Judges in the Supreme Court who had an occasion to examine the functioning of such judges are also taken into consideration.”