KOCHI: Criticising the reported decision of the Kerala High Court collegium to recommend a few lawyers as High Court judges, Justice B Kemal Pasha, who retired from service on Thursday, said that appointment of judges was not a family matter. He was speaking at the farewell meeting at the Kerala High Court. “I do not believe that judgeship should be allotted based on religion, caste or sub-caste. I learn from media that some names from the Bar have been recommended for elevation.
If the media reports are correct, I can very well say that most of the judges of this court, including me, have no good fortune to see even the faces of some of those persons,” he stated and asked, “Is it good for the judiciary?” According to Justice Pasha, there are competent lawyers of the Bar eligible to be elevated. If ineligible persons are elevated, fingers will be pointed at the system. “A judge is considered a minister of this temple of justice.
The duty to impart justice is nothing but divine. When persons who have to perform divine function are to be selected, they must be eligible for it,” Justice Pasha said. “What’s alarming is that the great glory achieved by this court over the past decade due to the hard work of the judges and the elite Bar is considerably being diminished because of some recent incidents.
This is a belief held by members of the Bar as well as past and present judges. Judges will come and go, but the Bar will always be there. The said incidents have tarnis-hed the image of the institution and they have lowered its reputation in the estimation of the right thinking members of the public. Judges will not be the losers; the Bar will be the ultimate loser,” he added.