HYDERABAD: Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan from the Supreme Court urged judges at all levels to remain vigilant against inherent biases and uphold constitutional morality. They were addressing the South India Judges Regional Conference held at MCRHRD Bhavan in Hyderabad on Saturday.
The conference, organised jointly by the National Judicial Academy and the Telangana High Court, aimed to bring together judges from high courts and district courts across southern states. Stating that technological advancements alone would not elevate the quality of judgments, Justice Oka urged judges to work towards realising the constitutional goals of delivering qualitative and effective justice promptly.
Justice Oka expressed concern over instances where accused persons are compelled to approach the Supreme Court for bail, despite the established principle that ‘bail is the rule and jail is the exception.’ He stressed the essence of Article 21 and reminded judges of the heightened public scrutiny facilitated by social media, emphasising the importance of continuous training for judges.
Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, in his speech, underscored the judiciary’s reliance on public faith as its greatest strength and a protective shield. He warned against eroding credibility, stating that the loss of public trust could jeopardise this protective shield. He also urged judges to overcome personal prejudices.
Discussing instances of judges using male chauvinistic language in the past, Justice Bhuyan cautioned against such language and emphasised the need for judges to decide cases strictly in accordance with the law, rather than giving sermons. He stressed the importance of living up to the expectations of fairness and impartiality.The event also featured speeches by National Judicial Academy Director Justice Sujoy Paul, and Telangana State Judicial Academy president Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili.