Justice M.M. Sundresh of the Supreme Court of India made a powerful statement on judicial humility. While hearing a discharge plea by an advocate, Justice Sundresh told the lawyer,
“Please don’t look for God in us, please look for God in justice.”
The bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and K. Vinod Chandran was addressing a situation in which an advocate had sought to withdraw from a case. The reason? His client had made objectionable claims – allegations that judges were being “fixed” through lawyers, which were termed “contemptuous.”
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An advocate-on-record (AOR), appearing in support of the advocate, raised concerns about the gravity of the allegation and its damaging impact on the legal community. He emotionally said, "We see God in our judges", and recalled how lawyers swear allegiance to the judicial system when taking oath.
The AOR further said:
"His client has given a notice that judges are being implicated through lawyers, which is very outrageous. We are AORs. If there is dishonesty, we withdraw from cases."
In response, Justice Sundresh calmly advised the AOR not to let emotions take over, and reminded the court that judges are only:
"humble public servants".
The bench eventually allowed the advocate to be discharged from the case.
This is not the first time such views have been expressed. In 2024, former Chief Justice of India Dr DY Chandrachud spoke at a conference in Kolkata, warning against comparing judges to deities. He remarked:
“Very often, we are addressed as Honourable or Lordship or Ladyship. When people say the court is the temple of justice, it is a very serious danger. It is a very serious danger that we see ourselves as deities in those temples.”
Earlier in 2023, Justice PV Kunhikrishnan of the Kerala High Court made similar remarks. After seeing a litigant plead with folded hands and tears, he said:
“The court is known as the temple of justice. But there is no god sitting on the bench. Judges are performing their constitutional duties.”
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These statements collectively underscore an important message: judges are there to uphold justice, not worship it. The judiciary stands to serve the people within the ambit of the law, not beyond it.
Case Title: GOVIND RAM PANDEY AND ANR. Versus NUTAN PRAKASH AND ORS., SLP(C) No. 12579-12580/2025
