A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Friday orally expressed its displeasure over the remarks made by CPI (M) leaders against judges in the wake of the court's prohibition of roadside public meetings.
The Bench comprising Chief Justice J. Chelameswar and Justice P.N. Ravindran orally observed that the attacks on judges were “dangerous.” The court said that “no judgment is immune from criticism.” However, judges were spared. The Bench orally pointed out that that judges were being criticised personally over this verdict. It was difficult for judges to give judgments as well as for the court to function in such a situation.
The court made these observations while hearing a writ petition filed by Nirmalandan, a lawyer from Thiruvananthapuram seeking police protection for his son's marriage on Bharath Bandh day. The Bench said that moderation appeared to be lacking in leaders' speeches. The court orally said that it was “a bit disturbed” by the developments. The court asked Advocate- General C.P. Sudhakara Prasad to bring these developments to the notice of the government and said that something needed to be done. The Advocate-General said that he had already done so.
Referring to the hartal, the court said that it was being held notwithstanding the declaration of hartals illegal and unconstitutional by the High Court and Supreme Court. The issue needs to be “reconsidered.”