Supreme Court judge Justice JB Pardiwala on Sunday said digital and social media in the country need to be regulated compulsorily to maintain the rule of law under the Constitution. ‘Agenda driven attacks on judges’. Justice Pardiwala made the remarks at an event here when a division raged on the harsh verbal remarks of a vacation bench of which he was a member, against suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma for her controversial remarks against Prophet Mohammad. The top court had said that his “loose tongue” has “set the whole country on fire” and he should apologise.
The observations of the bench, which refused to club the FIRs registered against Sharma across the country, sparked a debate, including on digital and social media platforms, which also led to some vulgar remarks against the judges.
“In India, which cannot be classified as a mature and an informed democracy, social and digital media are often employed to politicize purely legal and constitutional issues,” said Justice Pardiwala and Ayodhya Give the example of land dispute case.
He said that the trial by digital media is an unwarranted interference in the justice system. The judge, who was recently elevated to the top court, said, “The crossing of the Lakshman Rekha several times is particularly more worrying.”
Justice Pardiwala was speaking at the 2nd Justice HR Khanna Memorial National Symposium organized by Dr Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University, Lucknow and National Law University, Odisha as well as Confederation of Alumni of National Law Universities (Cain Foundation).
“Attack on our judges for judgment will create a dangerous scenario where judges will have to pay more attention to what the media thinks rather than what the law actually says. It is the rule of law while ignoring the sanctity of Puts it on the burner. Regarding respect for the courts,” he said.