Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi on Sunday voiced concerns over “belligerent and reckless behaviour” by certain individuals and groups, reported PTI. Speaking at the foundation ceremony of an auditorium of the Guwahati High Court, Gogoi said that he hoped that these incidents were exceptions, PTI reported.

“I am hopeful that such incidents turn out to be exceptions and the strong traditions and ethos of our institution shall always assist our stakeholders to display resilience to overcome the belligerence of such wayward constituents,” the chief justice was quoted as saying. Gogoi, however, did not mention any specific names.

The chief justice went on to differentiate between courts and other government establishments, saying that the former has multiple stakeholders coming together to facilitate justice even though they may not be tied together by a single hierarchy of commands. “It is therefore important, for each stakeholder functioning in a court complex, to learn and accept that the institutional traditions and practices are the greatest gifts that we inherit in our respective journeys even as we associate with the process of justice dispensation in various capacities,” Gogoi said.

He further said that judges and judicial officials should remember that judgements and orders by the court have a bearing on public faith. Gogoi said that being selected as a judicial functionary with the “right to adjudicate the affairs of fellow human beings and citizens has an element of divinity to it”.

The chief justice of India said that Assam with its diversities “present unique challenges” for the high court and subordinate courts that serve in the region. Gogoi said judicial officers and judges must constantly learn and understand the sensitivities of such a diverse culture and its traditions.