SC: Lawyers must say My Lord in courts

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a petition seeking to end the century-old practice of addressing judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts as 'My Lord' and 'Lordship,' a practice continuing in the country since the British times.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal and Justice C K Thakker asked the petitioner - Progressive and Vigilant Lawyers Forum - to take up the issue with the Bar Council of India and State Bar Councils.

As the Court made it clear it was not inclined to entertain the petition, Forum's counsel Sanjeev Bhatnagar withdrew it and the same was 'dismissed as withdrawn'.

Terming the practice of addressing judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts as 'My Lord' and 'Lordship', the Forum had requested the apex court to transform the manner of addressing judges of superior courts.