The last straw

It was like the proverbial last straw on the camel’s back. After Calcutta High Court judge C S Karnan “sentenced” the Chief Justice of India and seven Supreme Court judges to imprisonment from his “home court”, the apex court was left with no alternative but to send this recalcitrant judge to jail for six months holding him guilty of contempt. It was unusual for the apex court to constitute a seven-judge bench for a contempt of court hearing signalling its seriousness in addressing such appalling conduct of a current High Court judge.
 
While the removal of a current judge requires a cumbersome constitutional process of impeachment by Parliament, a judge does not enjoy any immunity for any criminal act. This was needed to protect the majesty of the highest court whose repeated lawful directions were contemptuously flouted by Karnan — a conduct least expected of a High Court judge.

 
                S K Choudhury   Bengaluru
 

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