Judges must be educated on gender sensitisation, says AG

Satya Prakash
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, November 2

Attorney General KK Venugopal on Monday told the Supreme Court that judges needed to be educated on gender sensitisation to ensure that they didn’t trivialise sexual violence against women.

“On the face of it, the (MP) High Court judge seems to have got carried away as this order was nothing less than a drama that must be condemned,” Venugopal told a Bench headed by Justice AM Khanwilkar.

Accused was told to get ‘Rakhi’ tied by victim

The MP HC had on July 30 granted bail to a molestation accused, saying he should visit the house of the complainant and request her to tie a ‘Rakhi’ to him.

Alleging that such an order amounted to trivialisation of sexual offences by courts, the petitioners said the bail condition further victimised the complainant.

“Courts must restrict themselves to conditions under Sections 437 and 438 of the CrPC,” the Attorney General told the Bench during a hearing on a PIL filed by nine women lawyers against a Madhya Pradesh High Court order granting bail to a molestation accused on the condition that he would request the victim to tie him a ‘Rakhi’.

AG says no to criminal contempt against AP CM

AG KK Venugopal on Monday declined consent to initiate criminal contempt proceedings against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy and his aide Ajeya Kallam, who levelled certain allegations against Justice NV Ramana even as he disapproved of their contumacious conduct.

The petitioners wanted the top court to restrain courts across India from imposing such bail conditions against the principle of law.

“So far as gender sensitisation is concerned, gender sensitisation and grievance redressal committee is there in the Supreme Court and lectures need to be given to subordinate and High Court judges about gender sensitisation.”

‘Expedite hearing in foreign Tablighis case’

The SC on Monday asked trial courts to expedite hearing in cases against foreign Tablighi Jamaat members for alleged violation of visa norms. A Bench headed by Justice AM Khanwilkar listed the petitions challenging the blacklisting of foreign members of Tablighi Jamaat for further hearing on November 20.

“The suggestion is that the examinations for judges and National Judicial Academy and State Judicial Academies must have programmes on gender sensitisation...This is an opportunity for this court to impart gender sensitisation,” Venugopal submitted.

The MP High Court had on July 30 granted bail to a molestation accused and imposed a condition that he along with his wife shall visit the house of the complainant and request her to tie a ‘Rakhi’ to him with the promise to protect her to the best of his ability for all times to come.

Alleging that such an order amounted to trivialisation of sexual offences by courts, the petitioners said the bail condition further victimised the complainant and trivialised the trauma that she suffered.

The top court posted the matter for further hearing on November 27 when it will consider laying down guidelines for judges in this regard.