SC closes matter as HC accepts judicial officer's apology

The Supreme Court has said that no action should be taken against a senior woman judicial officer of Delhi whose unconditional apology has been accepted by the high court, which had earlier ordered initiation of contempt and departmental enquiry against her.
The apex court said as the matter stands closed, no adverse entry shall be made against the officer pertaining to proceedings before the high court which had called for administrative action against her.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice D Y Chandrachud noted that as the high court has discharged then additional district judge Kamini Lau, who is now a special CBI judge, of criminal contempt on tendering unconditional apology as she has felt "repentant and contrite", "we are inclined to state that no action should be taken against the petitioner" in pursuance of the directions issued by the high court earlier.

"We are inclined to pass the aforesaid directions as the petitioner (Lau) is personally present in court and has further expressed her regret and submitted that she will not do anything of the present nature in future. The special leave petitions stand disposed of accordingly," the apex court bench said.
A division bench of the Delhi High Court, on December 22 last year, had ordered initiation of contempt and enquiry proceedings against the judicial officer after taking note of her alleged objectionable words used in four applications seeking expunction of adverse remarks passed by a single judge bench of the high court in as many civil appeals.

The top court had on January 15 stayed the high court's order while asking Lau to tender an unconditional apology in the high court, saying it "wanted to protect" her for future as well.

Subsequently, the officer filed an affidavit by way of unconditional apology and it was accepted by the high court which had on February 9 discharged her of the criminal contempt.
Lau, in her appeal in the apex court, had said that the higher courts "should judge the judgements and not the judge".
She had also sought that remarks passed against her by the high court should be expunged as it affected her dignity and reputation which are essential part of right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution.

A single bench of the high court had set aside the judgements passed by Lau as additional district judge of Tis Hazari district courts in four civil cases and made some adverse remarks.
She had then filed intra-court appeals before a division bench seeking expunction of adverse remarks on various grounds.
The division bench of the high court had taken strong note of certain words used in the appeals and prima facie made an opinion that they had scandalised the court and the proceedings and had ordered initiation of criminal contempt and departmental proceedings against her.