Judges of the Supreme Court of India 1950–89

Abstract

Judges play a pivotal role in the administration of justice. For this reason, they are not only expected to be impartial and independent but also to appear to be impartial and independent. Their decision-making should be guided by the parameters of the law, legal principles and the nature of the issues pertaining to the dispute before them, and their legal reasoning explained in judgments with intellectual honesty. Regardless of their personal views, they must decide, evaluate and analyse cases with the utmost objectivity. Yet, it is also often observed that, in formulating judicial decisions, judges are sometimes unable to divorce themselves completely from the values, beliefs, policy preferences, and political philosophies that they have cultivated over decades of judicial service. They may have different ideas about the law and justice. It is in this context that judicial decisions are often said to reflect the orientation of judges, ie whether they are liberal, moderate or conservative. Nonetheless, the reasons why a judge has certain attitudes, leanings, convictions, and views may not be easily decipherable.