New Delhi, May 4 -- In a democracy, the credibility of institutions rests not only on what is done, but on how it appears to be done. The recent courtroom friction involving Arvind Kejriwal and Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma has brought this principle into uncomfortable focus, casting a shadow over the perceived neutrality of the justice system.

Equally significant is Justice Sharma's decision to continue presiding over the matter despite implicit and explicit calls for recusal. In judicial ethics, perception often carries as much weight as propriety. Even the faintest apprehension of bias can erode public confidence. While there may have been no direct legal bar preventing her from hearing the case, stepping aside could have pre-empted th...