How far can a sitting judge speak outside the courtroom?
Justice Ujjal Bhuyan’s remarks on voting rights have revived a difficult question of judicial ethics: when does an academic address begin to anticipate the work of the court?
Justice Ujjal Bhuyan recently delivered a valedictory address at a moot court competition at NALSAR University of Law, where he emphasized that the right to vote is constitutional and integral to the basic structure. He went further, stating that any process disenfranchising millions would be arbitrary and violate Articles 14 and 326 of the Constitution, asserting that no court could condone mass disenfranchisement.
The comments sparked a debate on judicial ethics, as some former judges argued that a sitting judge should refrain from commenting on sub judice matters.
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