We are not interested in awards: Karnataka High Court junks plea to make judges eligible for Padma, State Awards

The Karnataka High Court recently dismissed a plea to declare Supreme Court and High Court judges eligible for Padma Awards and State honours [Dr Vinod G Kulkarni, of Hubballi v. The Union of India & Ors]..A Division Bench of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi and Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum made it clear that judges do not work for awards."We are not interested in getting awards," the Bench said. .The plea was filed by advocate Vinod Kulkarni, seeking a direction to declare Justices of the Supreme Court and High Courts eligible for Padma and State Awards. He specifically sought that the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court should be awarded the annual Rajyotsava Prashasti award.He argued that if doctors in government service are eligible to receive Padma/State awards, judges should also be considered for the same. Not making them eligible is violative of their fundamental rights under Article 14 and Article 21 of the Constitution, it was submitted..The petitioner further asked the Court to do away with colonial rules, which are plaguing the Indian legal system, and to Indianise it by conferring awards on judges.He also highlighted that in Western countries, male High Court judges are conferred the title of "knights bachelor" and females "dames commander." .He went on to contend that honouring judges with awards and accolades will boost their morale and will-power to work more. This in turn will lead to speedy and fast disposal of cases. Speedy disposal of cases is in the larger public interest, he argued."As Sigmund Freud has said all have a conscious and subconscious mind. In their subconscious mind we all suppress our desires and aspirations. So also judges," said Kulkarni..After hearing the petitioner at length, the Court proceeded to dismiss the case.