"Further, the trend seems to be persistent like an incurable cancerous cell which explodes out at the slightest imbalance," a bench of justices B S Chauhan and Dipak Misra said in a judgement.
The apex court gave the verdict while upholding the appeal of Bulandshahar Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Amar Pal Singh challenging the strictures passed by the Allahabad High Court after the CJM refused to direct police to record an FIR of alleged attempt to murder lodged by one Sunil Solanki.
"The respect for the judiciary is not enhanced when judges at the lower level are criticised intemperately and castigated publicly.
"No greater damage can be done to the administration of justice and to the confidence of the people in the judiciary than when the judges of the higher courts publicly express lack of faith in the subordinate judges for one reason or the other.
"It must be remembered that the officers against whom such strictures are publicly passed, stand condemned for ever in the eyes of their subordinates and of the members of the public. No better device can be found to destroy the judiciary from within. The judges must, therefore, exercise self-restraint," Justice Misra, writing the judgement, said.
The apex court expunged the strictures passed against the CJM .(More)