Bengaluru: The Supreme Court of India has initiated a suo motu investigation following remarks by a Karnataka High Court judge who controversially referred to the Gori Palya area of Bengaluru as “Pakistan.”

According to Kashmir Media Service, Justice V. Srishananda made the contentious comments during a court session, claiming, “Go to that Mysuru Road flyover. Every auto rickshaw has got 10 people… Gori Palya is in Pakistan, not in India… No matter how strict a police officer you put there, they will be beaten up there.” The incident, which was recorded and subsequently went viral on social media platforms, has sparked a significant backlash, criticizing the judge for seeming to promote divisive narratives.

The Supreme Court’s five-judge panel, led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, has demanded a thorough report from the Karnataka High Court’s Registrar General. The Court has also involved the Attorney General and the Solicitor General in the proceedings to address the implications of such remarks on communal harmony and the integrity of judicial conduct. This move by the apex court underscores the critical need for judicial accountability and the safeguarding of secular values in the judiciary.