SC to launch legal glossary on gender-inappropriate terms: CJI DY Chandrachud

New Delhi: Supreme Court is set to launch a legal glossary on gender-inappropriate terms to be used in courts and while writing judgments. CJI DY Chandrachud at a conference at Odisha Judicial Academy announced that the apex court launched the LGBTQ handbook and similarly they are coming up with gender-inappropriate terms to avoid in courts.

While addressing the public meeting, CJI Chandrachud said that if one reads a judgment on Section 376, then one comes across phrases like “victim was ravished by the appellant” and “she was a concubine” He also mentioned the use of the word ‘negro’ in a bail order in the NDPS Act. Citing the examples he assured that the glossary would not ‘belittle’ the judiciary but will give attention to language as much as to the substance.

We have recently launched the LGBTQ handbook. We are almost on the anvil of launching a legal glossary on gender-inappropriate terms. If you read a judgment on 376, I am sure all of you have come across phrases that the “victim was ravished by the appellant” or phrases such as… pic.twitter.com/2uKdEySuin

— ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2023

The use of language in courts has been a matter of debate for a long time and recently in the hearing for the Marriage Equality petitions, the use of inappropriate language by the lawyers on both sides was called out by many LGBTQIA+ activists.

CJI Chandrachud also informed that he has constituted a committee on Cyber Security. The committee will evolve a national model for data security and privacy, but he added that it will take time.

COVID-19 led to online hearings and hybrid courts and mentioning the same, the Chief Justice said that the aim of the digital infrastructure is paperless and virtual courts. Talking about the live streaming of court proceedings for transparency, he cautioned judges for the use of language and conduct in courts. CJI Chandrachud said that the clips of the Patna HC judge calling out an IAS officer for being inappropriately dressed and the Gujarat HC judge asking a lawyer why she is not prepared, have gone viral on the internet.

#WATCH | The digital infrastructure we intend to create is firstly paperless courts. Secondly, virtual courts…Today most HCs are doing live streaming on YouTube. Clips of the Patna HC judge asking an IAS officer why he is not appropriately dressed or Gujarat HC judge asking a… pic.twitter.com/vMPP62uB8V

— ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2023

He added that court proceedings are ‘extremely serious’ and judges need to be trained because every word they say is in the public realm now.

The event was organised for the inauguration of Neutral Citation for the Indian Judiciary and National Conference on Digitization.