“Independence” must always be responsible with due regard to established Constitutional values…

 

But without disciplinary powers, the CJI may find it difficult to instill better work ethics among fellow judges, experts say.

Indiscipline is rampant among judges, they say. Some judges do not turn up on time, some wrap up hearings early and leave through the official timings of the court are from 10.30 to 4 with an hour’s lunch break in between, and some do not read their files before coming to court. In a bid to check the slide, Gogoi has suggested that judges do not take leave on working days except for medical emergencies and urged them to refrain from taking LTC (leave travel concession) on working days.

All these are old traditions, a retired Supreme Court judge said on the condition of anonymity. The convention was that no judge took leave on a working day. Leaves could be encashed at the end of the year up to a limit, the person said. Neither did judges go on LTC on working days.