Mysore, Feb. 27 (KK&KMC)- "Judges need to be aware of the problems of common people and hence should mingle with them instead of living in ivory towers," said Justice D.V. Shylendra Kumar of the Karnataka High Court.

Shylendra Kumar is well-known for his campaign to implement the Right To Information Act in judiciary and being the first person in the judiciary to have made public his assets.

He was speaking at a book release function organised jointly by Prof. K. Venkatagiri Gowda Samskruthika And Shaikshanika Parishath and the Institute of Development Studies at Rani Bahadur auditorium in Manasa-gangothri today.

Expressing regret over the failure of administrative (elected representatives) and bureaucratic system in the country, Shylendra Kumar said that if the two pillars of the Constitution functioned well, there was no need for the other pillar, the judiciary. "The Constitution is essential to ensure the rights of citizens, be it fundamental or social. Legal restrictions are also essential for the smooth-functioning of the social mechanism," the Judge said and added that those in the judiciary need to be exceptionally honest and upright.

"Such virtues are to be found mostly in the rural populace, unlike the urbanites who have less concern for virtues and are more interested in gathering wealth by all possible means," he said.

Coming down heavily on the BT seeds issue, the Judge said that the farmers, who used to set aside a portion of their crop as seeds for the next sowing season, are now being forced into becoming dependant on multinational companies for their seeds which are genetically programmed to yield for the first filial generation only, after which they become susceptible to diseases and yield less.

Beyond judiciary, it is the public opinion which is the ultimate decision-making factor, the Judge said and reiterated the need for the members of the judiciary to feel the pains of the common people to be impartial.

Courtesy : Star Of Mysore