Guwahati, Oct. 10 -- Former Supreme Court judges Abhay Oka and Gopala Gowda have defended Justice Ujjal Bhuyan's comments on the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, arguing that his remarks did not breach judicial propriety and that serving judges can express views on public issues within certain limits, The Wire reported.

Oka, who previously served as Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, said judges should avoid expressing opinions on the merits of cases being heard by their own benches or other coordinate benches.

At the same time, he argued that judicial office does not remove a person's right to engage with issues affecting society. Judges must, however, exercise restraint when discussing matters of public imp...