SC declines info on prefix ‘justice’

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, September 24

A lawyer has been trying to find out whether Constitution permits use of “justice” as a prefix before names of Supreme Court and high court judges. But the information has so far eluded him.

In its response to an application filed under the Right to Information Act by advocate Hemant Kumar, the Supreme Court has said: “It is beyond the jurisdiction and scope of duties of the Central Public Information Officer, Supreme Court of India, under the Right to Information Act, 2005, to interpret the law, to give explanation, opine, comment or advise on matters, etc. Your request is not covered under Section 2 (f) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, and cannot be acceded to that extent.”

This is not the first time that information has been sought on the subject. Information suggests the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court had dismissed a plea seeking a ban on use of prefix “justice”.

Hemant had initially filed an online RTI application before the Department of Justice under the Union Law Ministry. The plea was transferred to the Supreme Court CPIO. Two other RTI pleas preferred by him to the Prime Minister’s Office and the President of India secretariat were initially transferred to the Department of Justice before being forwarded to the apex court’s CPIO.

In his RTI query, Hemant had asked whether the prefix “justice” was a title within the meaning of Article 18(1) of the Constitution or was it an academic or a military title. His argument was that the state under the Article could confer only military or academic title upon its citizens.