New Delhi, The Supreme Court has cautioned high courts against the growing trend of publicly criticising subordinate judicial officers, saying they should act as guardians of district judiciary.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta made the observation while setting aside a Calcutta High Court order cancelling an accused's bail in a tenancy-related case.
The top court said the dispute was largely civil in nature and that the high court was not justified in unsettling a bail order after nearly eight years on technical grounds.
The bench said high courts should not use their supervisory power as a tool of oppression but as a mechanism for nurturing and guiding judicial officers.
It also suggested that high courts establish an in-house mechanism to address flaws in orders passed by trial judges.
