'I Am Not Sir. Hope You Can Make That Out': Justice Rekha Palli Shuts Down Lawyer Who Addressed Her As 'Sir'
What is the future if the younger members of the judiciary do not stop discriminating, Delhi high court judge Justice Rekha Palli said.
Most government services are still dominated by men. However, times have been changing rapidly and women have secured equal opportunities and are probably doing much better than them. However, gender differentiation still prevails.
An instance of this occurred when during a case hearing in the Delhi High Court, Justice Rekha Palli was constantly referred to as 'sir' by a lawyer. But she didn't let this slide by and schooled him.
PTI
According to a report by Livelaw, Justice Rekha Palli objected to the lawyer addressing her as sir. She said, "I am not Sir. I hope you can make that out."
The lawyer then instantly apologized and 'blamed the chair she's sitting in.'
But Justice Palli didn't end the conversation there and mentioned how the chair is not for 'sirs' alone. "Then that's even worse if after all this time you think that the Chair is for Sirs. If the younger members don't stop differentiating, then what hope do we have for the future?" Justice Rekha said.
An advocate keeps addressing Justice Rekha Palli of Delhi HC as "Sir".
¡ª Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) February 16, 2022
"I am not Sir. I hope you can make that out" - Justice Palli to lawyer.
Lawyer - "Sorry, it's because of the Chair you are sitting in" pic.twitter.com/R8Gthtum9j
People weren't happy after this entire conversation was shared on social media. Many questioned the differentiation and the imbalance in gender ratio in the judiciary system. Many shared the different names that are used for female judges in courts.
One user said, "Something deeply wrong in our minds. Respect should not belong to one gender. Same in hospitals. Some people can't call a lady doctor, as a doctor." Another user commented, "The lawyer needs a lesson in misogyny and hindi grammar. Nobody says kursi kahan rakha hai."
Is that chair meant only for males?
¡ª pgrs (@pgrs77) February 16, 2022
It's really common
¡ª Abhijeet Malik? (@abhijeetMalik07) February 16, 2022
In district court they kept addressing the lady sessions judge as 'janab'
I was a little taken aback as she didn't seem to mind it.
The lawyer needs a lesson in misogyny and hindi grammar. Nobody says kursi kahan rakha hai.
¡ª Payaswini Upadhyay (@PayaswiniLLB) February 16, 2022
I was also bemused by this tradition when I interned in distinct courts. Everyone told me to address every judge as either 'sir' or 'your honour'.
¡ª Prateek Singh (@psm_3005) February 16, 2022
I even heard a word in court as "madam sir"
¡ª Rizwan Pawar (@i_amrizwan) February 16, 2022
Something deeply wrong in our minds. Respect should not belong to one gender. Same in hospitals. Some people can't call a lady doctor, as doctor.
¡ª Dr Harishankar BGV (@drharishankar89) February 17, 2022
Well, after this interaction, the lawyer will definitely know what not to say to a female judge.
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