SIKRI: JUDGING STRESSFUL IN DIGITAL ERA

New Delhi, Feb. 10: Judging is “under stress” in the digital era, a Supreme Court judge said Sunday, lamenting that even before a case is taken up by the court, people start discussing on social media what the outcome “should be” which has an influence on the judges. Talking on“Freedom of press in the digital age” at the first Law Association For Asia and the Pacific ( LAWASIA) conference, Justice A. K. Sikri said the freedom of press is changing the paradigm of civil and human rights and the current pattern of media trials is an example of it. “Media trials were there earlier also. But today what is happening is that when an issue is raised, a petition is filed, ( and) even before it is taken up by the court, people start discussing what should be the outcome. Not what ‘ is’ the outcome, ( but) what ‘ should be’ the outcome. And let me tell you from my experience here that it has an influence on how a judge decides a case. “It is not so much in the Supreme Court because by the time they come to the apex court they are quite matured and they know how the case is to be decided on the basis of law irrespective of what is happening in the media. Today judging is under stress,” he said.