The Allahabad HC Objected To The Addition Of ‘retired’ To The Judge’s Name, Saying It Was A Violation Of Protocol.

Allahabad High Court (file photo).

If you use the word retired before the name of a former High Court judge in your correspondence, you may run into trouble. Allahabad High Court has registered its objection in one such case. There is also a protocol of address in the country’s judiciary, which everyone needs to understand. This protocol also applies to ex-judges of the High Court. One such case came up in the Allahabad High Court, where the High Court has raised strong objections and sought a reply from the Chief Secretary Home.

The Allahabad High Court had objected to the way government officials added the word ‘retired’ to the names of former high court judges. The High Court said that the word retired should not be added as a name. Even after retirement he Hon’ble Justice Shri…. hold the title of The bench of Justice JJ Munir of the Allahabad High Court made the remarks while rebuking the counter affidavit filed by the Basti Principal Secretary (Home) and the Basti Superintendent of Police in the case of Lavkush Tiwari and others of Basti district.

Not a typing mistake, but an insult to judicial dignity.

In paragraph 18 of the counter affidavit, he named retired Justice AN Mittal of the High Court as Chairman of a committee as Hon’ble Justice Shri JN Mittal. Instead of calling it a mere typing mistake, the court termed it an insult to judicial dignity. Not only this, the High Court has handed over the inquiry into the current case of breach of etiquette to the Director General of Ethics and has asked for detailed guidelines on ethics along with the inquiry report by August 30.

Now this error has become common – High Court

The court said that this error regarding the addresses of High Court judges has become common, which is unfortunate and against judicial etiquette. The Court clarified that the retired Judge is referred to as Hon’ble Justice Shri… (Retd.), which is incorrect. Properly it should be written as retired from Hon’ble Mr. Justice High Court. Failure to do so is a violation of judicial etiquette. It hurts the dignity of the office of a judge. Government should be alert and aware of judicial etiquette.