Condemning the alleged trolling against Andhra Pradesh High Court judge K. Sreenivasa Reddy by some individuals for staying further proceedings in the case of accidental death of Ch. Singaiah, in which YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is A-2, the Bar Council of Andhra Pradesh has requested the court to create a separate mechanism under the supervision of the Registrar to act upon such instances of trolling, or digital abuse of the judiciary.
In a virtual meeting held on Sunday, attended by its chairman N. Dwarakanatha Reddy, vice-chairman S. Krishna Mohan, and Bar Council of India member A. Rami Reddy, among others, the Council also recommended the formation of a special unit under the supervision of the DGP to monitor, investigate and curb such online abuse and malicious campaigns against the judges, and to empower it to take swift and deterrent action against perpetrators.
The Council further resolved that the criticism and assassination of the character of Justice Sreenivasa Reddy through various social media platforms, digital forums, and public domains following the pronouncement of the judicial order by him, was reprehensible.
It stated that the trolling against any judge and judiciary was condemnable, and trusted that the order passed by Justice Sreenivasa Reddy was rendered in accordance with the law, after due consideration of the Acts and Rules framed under various statutes.
These decisions were judicial in nature, and should not be subjected to personal attacks or misconceived as individual orders.
Further, the Council noted that there had been prior incidents of similar attacks on HC judges, and that such repeated misconduct warranted serious attention and immediate action in disposing pending cases.
It urged both the Central and State governments, the Supreme Court, and the HC to take immediate and effective measures to investigate such attacks on judges.
