SC to look into issue of judges' visits abroad

A bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir, however, decided to examine the issue concerning the judges' private visits abroad and issued notice to the petitioner on whose plea the high court had on May 25 this year had partially struck down the Centre's February 2011 guidelines.

The court sought within four weeks the petitioner's reply to the government plea challenging the high court order, which had directed it to revise the guidelines.

The high court had quashed some of the guidelines, saying they were against the independence of the judiciary.

The verdict also questioned a particular clause: "During private visits, judges may not accept hospitality from any foreign government/organisations."

Further, the high court had clarified that information pertaining to a private visit to a foreign country would be given to the chief justice of the court concerned and the information would include the duration of the visit and the city where the judge would be staying.