Lower judiciary should avoid evocative verdicts: Justice Sikri

“Touch the chord of a layman” by drafting simple judgements.This was the suggestion given by Supreme Court Judge, Justice A K Sikri, to his colleagues, especially those in the lower judiciary.

Addressing a session at the ongoing Kumaon Literary Festival here, he suggested that the lower judiciary should draft simple judgements as they may lack the requisite expertise for using evocative language which ought to be used only by senior judges of high courts and the apex court.

“The law is meant for others as well. And it is about how you play with words. When we are wanting for words, poetry, film become convenient. It will touch the chord of a reader, a layman. Literature must be used only to forcefully convey an idea,” Justice Sikri said.

“Make it (evocative language) a tool, but don’t be swallowed by it. Judges at the lower level should avoid it as they may not have the expertise. A judgement should be said in a perfect manner,” he said.

The Supreme Court judge was deliberating on the topic ‘From legal literature to literature in law: Changing contours of judicial opinion’ during a session titled ‘My Lords, I Rest My Case!’ in the 2016 edition of the festival.