Judicial officer raising his voice at judges is gross indiscipline, says Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of India ruled that a judicial officer raising his voice at judges constitutes gross indiscipline, while declining to stay contempt proceedings against a Maharashtra official. The officer had outburst in court regarding the high number of vacant judicial posts.
Why it matters
This case highlights the tension between judicial decorum and the administrative challenges of filling judicial vacancies in India.
The Supreme Court on Thursday (September 10, 2026) said a judicial officer raising his voice at judges in court amounted to “gross indiscipline”, while declining to stay criminal contempt proceedings against a senior Maharashtra judicial officer accused of an “outrageous” and “unpardonable” outburst in a packed courtroom.
A Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta was hearing a plea by Dilip S. Ghumare, Secretary and Senior Legal Adviser in Maharashtra’s Department of Law and Judiciary, challenging the Bombay High Court’s September 1 order initiating contempt proceedings against him.
“A judicial officer cannot shout against the judges in a court... He should repent for his words. This is gross indiscipline. Even a senior bureaucrat does not dare to raise his voice in the court,” the Bench observed.
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