Markandey Katju Apologises for ‘Wink’ Remark After Backlash from Women Lawyers

Quick Summary

• justice Markandey Katju, former Supreme Court judge known for his controversial statements, issued an apology for a problematic social media post on platform X (formerly Twitter).
• The August 20 post suggested that women lawyers who winked at him received favorable judicial orders; it was later deleted.
• Following backlash from the Supreme Court Women Lawyers Association (SCWLA), Justice Katju apologized and claimed the comment was intended as a joke.
• SCWLA called the remarks offensive, describing them as an attack on women’s dignity and harmful to public trust in judicial impartiality.
• This incident is part of a pattern of controversial public statements made by Katju since his retirement in 2011.

Indian opinion Analysis

Justice Markandey Katju’s latest remarks highlight recurring concerns about accountability and decorum among public figures. While his apology acknowledges the hurt caused by casual sexism, such instances underscore broader issues of gender bias within professional sectors like law. For India’s judiciary-a cornerstone institution tasked with upholding democratic values-the incident risks eroding faith in its integrity. Public discourse would benefit from focusing not just on individual transgressions but on systematic efforts to foster inclusion and respect within institutions.

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