Answer to sunlight is more sunlight: Supreme Court raps High Court judge

The Supreme Court on Wednesday closed the proceeding against Karnataka High Court Judge Justice Vedavyasachar Srishananda following his apology for the controversial remarks made during court sessions. “The answer to sunlight is more sunlight”, Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said, stating that transparency, rather than suppression, is the appropriate response.
His remarks came after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta pointed out the challenges posed by social media, describing it as “very dangerous” due to the anonymity associated with online platforms.
“But should I tell you, the answer to sunlight is more sunlight. Not to suppress what happens in the courts,” he observed, adding that the answer was not to close doors and shut everything down.
The Chief Justice also highlighted the risks posed by offhand remarks made by judges, especially when such comments reveal personal biases.
“Casual observational may indicate personal biases especially when perceived to be directed at a certain gender or community. Thus one must be wary of making patriarchal or misogynistic comments. We express our serious concern about observations on a certain gender or a community and such observations are liable to be construed in a negative light. We hope and trust that the responsibilities entrusted to all stakeholders are discharged without bias and caution,” he added.
The five-judge bench of the top court, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, noted that the decision was made in the interest of justice and the dignity of the judiciary.
In a recent hearing related to a landlord-tenant dispute, Justice Srishananda referred to a Muslim-majority area in Bengaluru as ‘Pakistan’ and also made a misogynistic remark involving a woman lawyer.
His comments caught widespread social media attention, leading the Supreme Court to seek a report from the Karnataka High Court. The report was promptly submitted following the incident.
“No one can call any part of the territory of India as Pakistan. It is fundamentally against the territorial integrity of the nation. The answer to sunlight is more sunlight and not to suppress what happens in court. The answer is not to close it down,” Chief Justice Chandrachud said.
The observation by top holds particular significance following the Karnataka High Court’s recent introduction of stringent guidelines on live-streaming judicial proceedings.
These guidelines aim to curb the unauthorised dissemination of clips on social media, which had become a point of contention after Justice Srishananda’s remarks went viral.