The High Court of Karnataka on Friday dismissed a PIL petition seeking a direction to the Union and State governments to include judges of the High Courts and the Supreme Court in the eligibility list for award of Padma and State awards.
Observing orally that judges are not interested in awards and are only interested in working, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Riti Raj Awasthi and Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum dismissed the petition filed by Vinod G. Kulkarni, a psychiatrist from Hubballi.
“The petitioner appearing in person has not been able to satisfy the court as to why judges will have to be awarded with Padma/State awards. No person has any right to claim that he shall be given any such awards. The petition, being devoid of merit, is dismissed,” the Bench said in its brief order.
Earlier Dr. Kulkani, who personally argued, pointed out that judges are conferred with various titles in Europeans countries and awarding Padma awards to the judges would help in Indianisation of the judiciary.
