Bangalore:
A Karnataka High Court Judge is under fire after he said that it was okay for a man to indulge in domestic violence and beat his wife as long as he was taking good care of his wife.
Over 500 people have signed an online petition requesting the Chief Justice of India, SH Kapadia, to intervene and take action against Justice K Bhaktavatsala. A page has also been set up on Facebook -
Remove Justice Bhaktavatsala -that says, "Justice Bhaktavatsala encourages women to stay in a violent relationship, for sake of marriage."
The advocate fraternity has been very upset with his remarks, mainly women advocates.
A leading daily
Bangalore Mirror carried quotes of a case last week where Justice Bhaktavatsala, while hearing a case of domestic dispute, told the victim that women suffer in all marriages. He even asked her if she is only after money and added that her husband is doing good business, there is no need to talk about his beatings.
"I have written to the Chief Justice of Karnataka asking him to intervene. How can women get justice this way? I was in court during another case and was shocked. The judge had said marriage is not like public transport system. How can he make such remarks? I strongly feel specialised and experienced judges only should take up cases in the family court," Premila Nesargi, senior High Court advocate, told NDTV.
This is not the first time that Justice Bhaktavatsala has been embroiled in a controversy. Recently, while hearing arguments from a woman lawyer in a divorce case, he allegedly told her that an advocate who is not married is not qualified to argue divorce cases.
The online petition slams the judge for going beyond the legal scope.