Supreme Court warns judges on misconduct, reinstates judge

The Supreme Court of India has cautioned judicial officers against misconduct and reinstated a Punjab judge. Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh made these comments while addressing issues related to judicial conduct. The court ordered the provisional reinstatement of Nazmeen Singh, a judge in Punjab. Her employment was terminated after she allegedly misbehaved with doctors at PGIMER Hospital in Chandigarh. The justices emphasized that judicial officers should be humble, polite, and display a humane approach in their duties. The bench stressed the importance of having well-trained judicial officers in the system. They noted rising complaints regarding misconduct among judicial officers. Justice Kant highlighted the need for professional training on proper conduct. He shared concerns over incidents where judges did not treat other legal professionals with respect. The judges praised the hard work of doctors at PGIMER, stating their efforts deserve respect. They also mentioned that Singh could be assigned to a different position where she would have proper guidance. The case will be reviewed in two weeks, and Singh must submit an assurance of good conduct before proceeding. Her prior termination followed a 2018 complaint about her behavior while conducting an inquest into a prisoner's death at the hospital.