Judges who lose public trust should be removed: SC

The bench, which had taken up a set of appeals revolving around the question of preserving the integrity of the judicial institution, observed that the robe of a judge was not stained only by proven corruption; it was “equally darkened by a sustained loss of credibility”. The appeals were filed by the Lahore High Court (LHC) registrar and an additional district and sessions judge who had served in Mailsi, Vehari district. The appeals challenged the Jan 17, 2025, ruling of the Punjab Subordinate Judiciary Service Tribunal, Lahore, which had modified the penalty imposed on the judicial officer from removal from service to compulsory retirement, holding that the evidence of corruption was insufficient. However, the tribunal upheld the charge relating to a tarnished reputation and considering the officer’s length of service, reduced the penalty from removal to compulsory retirement. In his appeal, the judicial officer soug­­ht complete reinstatement and the expu­ngement of adverse remarks against him. The LHC registrar, meanwhile, sought a harsher punishment by challenging the tribunal’s ruling before the SC. ‘Strangled his judicial career’ Authored by Justice Waheed,