Supreme Court urges judges to avoid Social Media, lead disciplined lives

Judges should not use Facebook, must work like horses: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of India has emphasized the importance of judicial discipline, advising judges to refrain from using social media and sharing personal opinions on judicial matters. A bench consisting of Justices B V Nagarathna and N Kotiswar Singh stated that judges should live “like hermits” and work “like horses,” while also avoiding public comments on their judgments.

During oral observations, the bench warned against judges using platforms like Facebook, stating that commenting on judgments could lead to biases, especially when the judgment is cited in future cases. The court also remarked that there is no place for flamboyance in the judiciary, highlighting the sacrifices expected from those in judicial service.

The remarks were made during a case concerning the termination of two female judicial officers by the Madhya Pradesh High Court over unsatisfactory performance during their probation. The court learned that one of the terminated judges had posted on Facebook, prompting concerns about the potential risks of social media use by judicial officers.

Senior advocate R Basant, representing one of the dismissed judges, supported the court’s position, emphasizing that no judicial officer should post anything related to their work on social media.

The case involved six women civil judges who were dismissed in June 2023 for performance issues during their probation. While four were reinstated, two—Aditi Kumar Sharma and Sarita Chaudhary—remained excluded. One of the terminated judges argued that her assessment failed to account for personal hardships, including a miscarriage and her brother’s cancer diagnosis, as well as the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Supreme Court has issued notices to the Madhya Pradesh High Court and other relevant stakeholders, acknowledging the impact of personal and professional challenges on the judges’ performance assessments.

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