Journalists have become victims of judicial tyranny: Justice Kumar

Journalists have become victims of judicial tyranny: Justice Kumar

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, April, 4: The Judge of the High Court of Karnataka Shylendra Kumar said that journalists have become victims of “judicial tyranny” while delivering the silver jubilee endowment lecture of the topic: “The Need for Judicial Accountability in the Era of Judicial nsformation” and expressed his disappointment over the abuse and misuse of the Contempt of Courts Act. The programme, which was held at the auditorium of SDM Law College on April 4, Sunday, was sponsored by the Old Students’ Silver Jubilee Endowment Fund. 











Expressing his opinion that journalists are more often the victims of the tyrannical and abusive exercise of the power of punishing people for contempt of court, he cited the example of Arundhati Roy, the thinker, journalist, and writer, who was sentenced to a day’s imprisonment at Tihar Jail for contempt of court. Justice Kumar called this incident “a black mark” in the history of Indian judiciary.  He stated: “I, as a Judge, through this expression, offer my personal regret and apology to Arundhati Roy for the judicial tyranny let loose on her by the most improper use of the power to punish a person for committing contempt of court.”

Painting a vivid picture of the responsibilities of the Judiciary, Justice Kumar regretted the widespread corruption in the Administration, Legislature, and Judiciary. Corruption leads to anarchy, he said. 

The effectiveness of a judicial system and its ability to cater to the requirements of the people depends on its ability to inspire the confidence of the litigant public who approach the forums of grievance redressal. A judicial system, which fails to inspire the confidence and trust of the people, does not meet the hopes and expectations of the pubic and fails because people will not provide patronage to such as uninspiring judicial system, he warned. 

Explaining the duties and responsibilities of a judge, he said that the judge is a public servant and therefore accountable to the people and to society and to the entire country. 

Quoting Dr. B R Ambedkar, he said that a constitution is only as good as its members; and unless the members governing the constitution are of high quality and dependable, the constitution is of no use, however good it may be on paper and record. Justice Kumar said that the citizens of India must ensure that responsible, conscientious, upright, competent, and people-concerned persons are elected and placed in the assemblies and the parliament of the country’s democratic system. This will definitely ensure the proper governance of this country, further ensuring an upright, competent, useful, and effective judiciary. 

Justice Kumar also released the SDM Law Times on this occasion. 

Vice President of SDME Society Ujire Prof S Prabhakar presided over the programme. President of the Mangalore Bar Association S P Chengappa made the welcome speech. Udayananda proposed the vote of thanks. Principal of SDM Law College Dr. D K Ravindra also participated in the programme.