Justice AK Sikri says ‘judging is under stress in digital era’  

Justice AK Sikri.

Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri, senior Supreme Court judge, said judging has become stressful in the digital age as people start discussing on social media what the outcome should be, which plays on judges’ minds.

Speaking on the topic “Freedom of press in the digital age” at the first Law Association For Asia and the Pacific conference in New Delhi, Justice Sikri, on Sunday, said, “Media trials were there earlier also. But today what is happening is that when an issue is raised, a petition is filed, (and) even before it is taken up by the court, people start discussing what should be the outcome. Not what ‘is’ the outcome, (but) what ‘should be’ the outcome. And let me tell you from my experience here that it has an influence on how a judge decides a case.”

He then added, “It is not so much in the Supreme Court because by the time they (the judges) come to the apex court they are quite matured, and they know how the case is to be decided on the basis of law irrespective of what is happening in the media … Today judging is under stress.”
While claiming that the power of contempt of court is not being used much, Justice Sikri said, “A few years ago, it has always been an opinion that once a judgment was rendered by the court, be it the Supreme Court, high courts or any trial court, you have every right to criticize the judgment. Now there is slander or defamatory speeches even against judges who gave that judgment. And still not much is said on this.”

Highlighting dangers of paid and fake news, he said, “It is becoming very alarming, but we are in the era of paid and fake news because of the digital era. Stories are created … and somebody puts it on any digital mode and these, in few hours’ time, become viral. The reach is a billion people.”

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