J Chelameshwar

Supreme Court Justice J Chelameshwar indirectly heaped praise on Congress politician Rahul Gandhi at a judge-felicitation ceremony, by giving him credit for being the saviour of the SC judgment disqualifying convicted politicians, reported the Times of India. His praise was in these words:

“A great man has intervened at the last minute and ensured the scrapping of the ordinance and it was because of that great man's endorsement of the correctness of the SC judgement, it could be saved. That great man had done immense service to the nation through his timely intervention.”

Legally India Supreme Court postcard writer claimed on Twitter that Chelameshwar’s statement could be in direct breach of point eight of the judicial code of conduct. Point 8 reads:

“(8) A Judge shall not enter into public debate or express his views in public on political matters or on matters that are pending or are likely to arise for judicial determination.”