Resist Greed, Reject Pressure’: Justice B.V. Nagarathna’s Message to Judges
(By Syed Ali Taher Abedi)
Bengaluru, April 18, 2026 – Supreme Court Justice BV Nagarathna delivered a stern admonition to judicial officers on Saturday, declaring that judges succumbing to greed and unable to live within their means must be swiftly removed from the system to safeguard its integrity.
“Judges who are unable to live within their known sources of income and fall prey to greed and temptation must be weeded out of the system. I must add that Judges must be free from external pressures or from their colleagues. They must develop courage and independence. There cannot be any “co-ordination” in decision making. A tainted decision by a Judge is a black mark on the Judge and on the Judiciary itself. Hence, let us realise and be conscious of our duty to the litigant public and to the nation. “She Said.
Speaking at the 22nd Biennial State Level Conference of Judicial Officers in Bengaluru, Justice Nagarathna praised Karnataka’s district judiciary as among the finest in the country. She seized the occasion to address critical issues, including judicial conduct, the cautious integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in courtrooms, and the vital need for High Courts to treat district judges with fairness and protection.
“There cannot be any “co-ordination” in decision making. A tainted decision by a Judge is a black mark on the Judge and on the Judiciary itself. Hence, let us realise and be conscious of our duty to the litigant public and to the nation.”
“Judges must cultivate the courage and independence to discharge their duties without succumbing to external influences,” she emphasized, underscoring that unwavering judicial integrity forms the bedrock of public trust in the system.
Caution on AI: Fake Case laws from Blind Reliance
Justice Nagarathna issued a pointed warning on AI’s role in legal research, drawing from her courtroom experiences to highlight its pitfalls. She recounted two alarming instances where lawyers cited non-existent cases due to overreliance on unverified AI outputs: one involved a fabricated ruling titled Mercy vs. Mankind, while another attributed a non-existent quote to a Supreme Court judgment.
“There have already been instances where AI has produced incorrect or even entirely fabricated case law citations even in the Supreme Court before my Bench, a case was cited titled “Mercy vs. Mankind” which did not exist at all. In another instance, a Supreme Court judgment was relied upon which did not have the particular quotation which was relied upon. This makes verification indispensable or else we would be compromising public trust in the institution.”
“Be very careful while using artificial intelligence for legal research,” she urged, lamenting how such errors erode the judiciary’s credibility and calling for rigorous verification before embracing technology.
Call for Fair Treatment of District Judiciary
Turning to the dynamics between High Courts and district judges, Justice Nagarathna stressed that the latter must feel “genuinely protected.” She advocated for transparency and equity in handling promotions, postings, transfers, and leave for judicial officers, ensuring decisions are impartial and merit-based to foster a motivated lower judiciary.
“The time has now come for the learned advocates who rely upon the judicial precedents to also issue a certificate that the judgments relied upon are authentic and have been reported in the relevant journals.”
The high-profile event drew an array of dignitaries, including Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant, Supreme Court Justice Arvind Kumar, Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru, and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Justice Nagarathna’s remarks resonate amid ongoing debates on judicial accountability, technological adoption, and hierarchical reforms, reinforcing the judiciary’s commitment to ethical standards in an evolving legal landscape.
