NEW DELHI: The Delhi Judicial Service Association (DJSA) has condemned the recording and circulation of a video showing a heated exchange between a district judge and a lawyer at Rohini Courts, calling it a serious threat to judicial independence and institutional dignity.
In a statement issued, the association said the courtroom proceedings were recorded and circulated online without authorisation. It termed the act a “direct assault on the dignity, independence and majesty of the judicial institution”.
The controversy erupted after a video showing an argument between Rohini Court Bar Association president and district judge Rakesh Kumar went viral on social media. The altercation reportedly began after the judge denied the lawyer’s request for a passover. The Delhi High Court on Sunday transferred the judge to the Delhi Judicial Academy in a “diverted capacity” with immediate effect.
The DJSA expressed solidarity with the judge and the wider judicial fraternity, asserting that judicial independence was “non-negotiable” and must be protected from any form of pressure or interference.
The association also voiced concern over alleged intimidation and coercion by some lawyers towards judicial officers. It said such conduct undermines the rule of law and prevents judges from functioning fearlessly and independently.
Calling the conduct of certain lawyers “deeply disturbing” and “completely unacceptable”, the association said attempts to browbeat judicial officers damaged public confidence in the justice delivery system. Meanwhile, district court bar associations across Delhi abstained from work on Monday. The DJSA criticised the strike, saying such actions disrupted court functioning and adversely affected litigants.
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Bail to Er Rashid for father’s funeral
The High Court on Monday granted interim bail to Jammu and Kashmir MP Engineer Rashid till June 2 to attend his father’s funeral in Srinagar. Rashid, jailed in a terror funding case, was allowed relief after the death of his father, Haji Khazir Mohammad Sheikh, 85, in a Delhi hospital. The court directed that Rashid be accompanied by plainclothes police personnel throughout the journey.