India trainee judges dismissed for 'sexism and brawling'

The judges of the Allahabad High Court recommended the dismissal of the trainee judges

Eleven trainee judges in India have been dismissed after being accused of sexism and brawling.

The trainees went to a restaurant in Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh on the final day of their induction.

They allegedly drank too much, made lewd remarks about one of their female colleagues and started to brawl, causing damage to property.

Security camera footage helped identify those involved and a committee of inquiry recommended their dismissal.

The trainees were part of a group of 74 interns who were in the Uttar Pradesh capital to participate in an induction programme from 9 June to 8 September at the Institute of Judicial Training and Research, BBC Hindi reports.

On the night of 7 September, a group of them had gone to a restaurant outside the institute.

According to reports, they got drunk, turned abusive and began fighting among themselves. The restaurant is also reported to have been damaged during the clashes.

A female judge from the institute, who was at the restaurant with her family at the time of the incident, informed the institute's director who then reported the matter to the Allahabad High Court Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, reports said.

State Governor Ram Naik ordered their dismissal on the recommendation of the Allahabad High Court judges.

The registrar-general at the high court, Pratyush Kumar, refused to comment on the incident. "I will neither confirm, nor deny it," he said.