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 is okay. But highly spirited parties hosted at starred hotels is 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. On 20thAugust2015 the Goa Chief Minister had inappropriately hosted a dinner in honour of the then Chief Justice of our Bombay High Court. In March 2013 the collegium of the Supreme Court had rejected the name of that Chief Justice for elevation to the Supreme Court on the ground that he was not suitable to be a Supreme Court judge and that his elevation would prove to be counter-productive and not conducive to the administration of justice. In 2014 a sitting Judge of our High Court as ‘Dampatya’ graced a puja performed at the inauguration of the private office of the then Advocate General on 18th June Road in Panaji. Wasn’t that a very unholy and improper act?. The current state of the Judiciary is a matter of grave concern and nothing must be done that only further jeopardizes the credibility and integrity of the Judicial system. The contact between Advocates and Judges should be strictly restricted to the Court room. 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. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: [email protected] Or [email protected] You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires www.airesrodrigues.com
