Overview

• Markandey Katju said on X that his post claiming women lawyers who winked at him got favourable orders was a joke and that he deleted it shortly after posting.
• The Supreme Court Women Lawyers’ Association condemned the remark as misogynistic and an assault on the dignity, credibility and professional standing of women in the legal fraternity.
• SCWLA demanded an unconditional public apology and urged the legal community to reject and censure attitudes that undermine gender equality and the integrity of judicial institutions.
• In his apology, Katju acknowledged that many women lawyers felt hurt and stated he was apologizing as demanded by the association.
• Katju, who retired from the Supreme Court in 2011, has a record of contentious public comments, including a 2017 case in which he offered an unconditional apology to the top court in a contempt matter.