Bombay Bar Association slams SC judge's remarks about Modi

The Bombay Bar Association on Thursday passed a resolution condemning the remarks made by Supreme Court Justice Arun Mishra when he praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi effusively at a recent conference.

The resolution, passed by a majority vote, described Justice Mishra's remarks as "improper and unnecessary, and expressed "dismay" and "condemnation" over the same.

"This association deprecates the conduct of a sitting judge of the Supreme Court making such obsequious remarks about the head of the Executive and believes that they are both improper and unnecessary," the resolution said.

On February 22, speaking at an international judicial conference, Justice Mishra was all praise for Modi and termed him as an "internationally acclaimed visionary" and a "versatile genius, who thinks globally and acts locally".

Among others, the remarks were questioned by the Supreme Court Bar Association and the Bar Association of India.

The Bombay Bar Association in its resolution noted that it was imperative that the judiciary is and appears to be objective in its approach to the members of the Executive, both within and outside the courtroom.

"This association believes that it is particularly regrettable that such remarks were made at an event such as the international judiciary conference in the presence of senior cabinet ministers, such as the law minister, and former and current judges of the Supreme Court," it added.

"Comments of this nature shock the confidence of the members of the legal profession and the public at large on the independence and integrity of the judiciary," the association said.