grounded on the content of judicial decisions cannot be considered objectively
justified. See the case of DIMITROV & ORS. V. BULGARIA, (APPLICATION
NO. 77938/11) JUDGMENT STRASBOURG 1 JULY 2014, PARA. 159 where
it was held that “under the subjective test, the personal impartiality of a judge
must be presumed until there is a proof to the contrary […]. The facts that
some of the judges hearing the case sat and ruled against them on some points
or decided to proceed in a certain manner do not constitute such proof”.
132.
In the CASE OF KYPRIANOU V. CYPRUS 73797/01 | JUDGMENT
(MERITS
AND
JUST
SATISFACTION)
|
COURT
(GRAND
CHAMBER) | 15/12/2005; it was held that it was only when there is a
proven functional defects on the part of the tribunal or a judge that the
objective fears of the Applicant could be justified:
“The Court therefore finds that, on the facts of the case and considering
the functional defect which it has identified, the impartiality of the
Assize Court was capable of appearing open to doubt. The applicant's
fears in this respect can thus be considered to have been objectively
justified and the Assize Court accordingly failed to meet the required
Convention standard under the objective test.”
133.
The
celebrated
BANGALORE
PRINCIPLES
OF
JUDICIAL
CONDUCT provides under Principle 2 as follows: “Impartiality is essential
to the proper discharge of the judicial office. It applies not only to the decision
itself but also to the process by which the decision is made”. In its application
section under 2.5, it provides that: “A judge shall disqualify himself or herself
from participating in any proceedings in which the judge is unable to decide
the matter impartially or in which it may appear to a reasonable observer
that the judge is unable to decide the matter impartially”.
54