SC closes proceedings initiated over comments made by Karnataka HC judge

The Supreme Court on Wednesday closed suo motu proceedings initiated over alleged objectionable comments made by a Karnataka High Court judge during court proceedings. A five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud noted that Karnataka High Court judge Justice Vedavyasachar Srishananda, who had made those observations, had on September 21 tendered an apology for his comments in the open court there. "We can't call any part of the territory of India as Pakistan," the CJI observed. The bench, also comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, B R Gavai, Surya Kant and Hrishikesh Roy, observed that courts have to be careful not to make comments in the course of judicial proceedings which may be construed as being misogynistic or for that matter prejudicial to any segment of the society. "Casual observations may well reflect a certain degree of individual bias particularly when they are likely to be perceived as being directed to a particular gender or community," the bench said. The