The Indian judiciary has long struggled with a lack of Muslim representation, with only four Muslim Chief Justices in the history of the republic. Currently, there is just one Muslim judge on the Supreme Court – another proof of this lack of diversity. It also indicates that another Muslim Chief Justice may be a long way off.

The Supreme Court today closed proceedings against Karnataka High Court Judge Justice Vedavyasachar Srishananda, following his public apology for controversial comments made during court sessions.

Taking exception to Karnataka High Court judge V Srishananda’s controversial remarks that a particular Muslim-dominated area in Bengaluru was in Pakistan, the Supreme Court on Wednesday cautioned judges against making casual comments reflecting their personal biases.

Stating that the social media cannot be controlled, the top court said that in the age of social media, any observations by judges can have a wide impact, and thus, judges should be aware of their predispositions so that they can deliver justice impartially.