BANGALORE: Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court Cyriac Joseph on Thursday sought to defuse the controversy his remark on advocates had generated by saying that one sentence in his 45-minute speech in Chikmagalur had been "picked up", taken out of context and subsequently "misrepresented" to mean that all advocates were corrupt.

At a seminar in Chikmagalur a few days ago, he had said that there may "one or two" black sheep among advocates who had brought disrepute to the profession. This remark, he said, was necessitated after senior advocate D.C. Krishnaswamy, said a few "dark sheep" were there in the legal profession and they had brought disrepute to the fraternity. Mr. Krishnaswamy, he said, was speaking on the "Role of the advocates in the dispensation of justice."

The Chief Justice said while the senior advocate had mentioned only advocates, he said there were a few black sheep even among judges and they needed to be weeded out. He clarified that he never said advocates were corrupt.

Calling for an end to the controversy, the Chief Justice said people who knew him could never believe that he had made any statement against advocates. "One or two stray incidents will not change my basic quality. Nor can it change the chemistry of my body and of my mind," he said.

Reiterating that his remark was reported out of context, the Chief Justice said he had made the remark only to ensure that "we become more refined and honest."

The Chief Justice said there was no need to ridicule or blame each other. Each should respect the other, he advised the advocates.

Appealing to both judicial officers and advocates to join hands to weed out corruption, Mr. Cyriac Joseph said they were members of the same family and pointed out that it was the family's name that was at stake now.

He recalled that when he shared a dais in Hubli with chairman of the Karnataka State Bar Council Sadashiva Reddy, it was Mr. Reddy himself who stated that there were some black sheep among advocates. "Having himself accepted it, how can he now take exception to what I had said," he asked.

Mr. Cyriac Joseph said just as a few judicial officers were corrupt, some advocates too may be corrupt. It was only person-specific and not a general statement.

The Chief Justice was participating in an orientation programme organised by the Karnataka Judicial Academy for advocates appearing to take an examination for posting as civil judge (junior division).

He said an advocate had more thrill and excitement than a judicial officer as the latter was bound by decorum and he had so many constraints under which he had to perform his duty. An advocate, he said, had an opportunity to exhibit his histrionic talent in a court and this always influenced a judge.

He said judges, advocates and judicial staff were all part of a family and that there was a need to preserve and protect the family spirit.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu