12-07-11. Gujarat High Court at Sola in Ahmedabad. Photo by Kevin Antao.
Describing his conduct as “unbecoming of a judicial officer”, the HC said dismissal from service was “the only appropriate punishment”. After the hearing, HC’s bench said, “If a judicial officer decides to accept a phone from a practicing advocate and it is established that he was communicating with the practicing advocate over a certain period of time, that, by itself, would be improper. The bench said judicial officers are expected to maintain a high degree of propriety and distance from practising advocates to preserve public confidence in the judiciary.
Ahmedabad: Gujarat High Court has upheld the dismissal of a judicial magistrate accused of corrupt practices and found to have used three benami mobile phones to remain in contact with a practising lawyer. It found no ground to interfere with the punishment imposed on Vizoda and dismissed his challenge to the dismissal order.