Despite there being a very clear and categorical diktat by the Supreme Court that judges should not socialize with Advocates, there seems to be no rigorous compliance of this very salutary prescription.
Official Tea parties within the Court premises are okay. But highly spirited parties hosted at starred hotels are worrisome. It leads to a potential avenue for Advocates to creep and cultivate convenient relationship with Judges. It can also end up in funny, embarrassing and demeaning situations at times. Judges should also avoid socializing with politicians in power.
In a very inappropriate move our Goa High Court Bar Association organized a dinner for our Bombay High Court Chief Justice Dipankar Datta on 31st March at 8pm ( last night) in the banquet hall of Hotel Fidalgo in Panaji.
Interaction between Advocates and Judges should be strictly restricted to the Courtroom. This would go a long way in ensuring an independent, unbiased, free and fair Temples of Justice. A truly transparent and in fact sovereign Judiciary which is a salient safeguard of our constitution is the only last hope for the common men in their thrust for justice.
The many ills our society faces today is because we lack the spine while not being ready to speak up the hard facts and sticking our neck out. We all need to be inspired by what Swami Vivekananda used to say — arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached.
“True freedom requires the rule of law and justice, and a judicial system in which the rights of some are not secured by the denial of rights to others” is what Jonathan Sacks, a renowned philosopher, theologian, author, and politician had said.
