London, June 5: The High Commission of India in London has condemned what it described as “indecorous audience behaviour” during an event attended by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice Surya Kant at the University of London’s Birkbeck campus on June 4.

Justice Surya Kant was delivering a lecture on “Artificial Intelligence and International Law” when the incident occurred. According to a statement issued by the High Commission, the lecture was followed by an interactive discussion session during which some audience members raised questions that led to interruptions in the proceedings.

The High Commission stated that such behaviour was unacceptable and inconsistent with the standards of respectful engagement expected during academic and public discussions.

“Such indecorous audience behaviour is unacceptable and inconsistent with respectful engagement that should govern public discourse,” the statement said.

The mission further noted that while differences of opinion are a natural feature of democratic societies, they should be expressed in a civil and respectful manner.

Videos from the event later circulated on social media showing audience members attempting to raise questions related to dissent and democratic freedoms in India. During the discussion session, the moderator intervened and stated that questions unrelated to the lecture topic—Artificial Intelligence and International Law—could not be entertained.

In one of the videos, an audience member referred to remarks about India’s democratic traditions and attempted to raise concerns regarding reports by legal observers. Before the question was completed, the moderator interrupted and reiterated that the discussion should remain focused on the subject of the lecture.

Another video showed a separate audience member expressing dissatisfaction with the intervention and calling for greater respect during the interaction.

The incident has generated debate online. Supporters of the moderator’s decision argued that the discussion should remain focused on the lecture topic, while critics contended that broader questions relating to democratic values were relevant to the issues raised during the event.

The High Commission reiterated that public discussions and academic engagements should be conducted with decorum and mutual respect, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a constructive environment for dialogue.