New Delhi | July 29, 2025 

In an unexpected but bold courtroom remark, a senior advocate told the Supreme Court that judges attending parties hosted by lawyers creates a damaging perception in the minds of the public. The statement was made during a hearing concerning the structure and regulation of Bar Associations, but quickly steered conversation toward the ethical expectations from the judiciary.

During the hearing, Senior Advocate Sirajudeen pointedly told the Bench that:

“Judges are regularly invited to private parties by advocates sometimes two in a week. This isn’t harmless hospitality. It gives the wrong signal, suggesting proximity and potential bias.”

While the comments weren’t directed at any particular judge, the implication was clear: informal socializing between judges and lawyers could blur ethical boundaries and harm the judiciary’s reputation for impartiality.

Judges’ Response

A two-judge Bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Dipankar Datta was presiding over the matter. Though the Bench refrained from any direct response to the allegation, it noted elsewhere during the hearing that:

“Bar Associations are public bodies… they must be accountable.”

While no formal rebuke or action followed the advocate’s remarks, legal observers noted that the issue may now enter future discussions on judicial conduct codes and courtroom ethics.

Ethical Context

India’s Restatement of Values of Judicial Life (1999) discourages judges from forming close personal ties with advocates, especially those who frequently appear before them.

Internationally too, codes like the Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct and the Code of Conduct for U.S. Judges explicitly warn against such social associations where appearance of impropriety could arise.