A day after a dramatic courtroom incident where a lawyer attempted to hurl a shoe at him, Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai made a light-hearted remark during a proceedings in the Supreme Court.
The
remark was made on Tuesday during a hearing led by CJI Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran. The bench was examining a case related to the appointment and promotion of district court judges.
At one point, Justice Chandran paused the live proceedings for a brief private exchange with the Chief Justice. When the hearing resumed, CJI Gavai commented, “My brother had something to say,” before adding with a smile, “These days… in social media we don’t know what will be reported… your client will be very offended.”
The bench was hearing a petition filed by the All India Judges Association, related to service conditions and pay scales of judicial officers. The matter was referred to a five-judge Constitution bench for further examination.
The Chief Justice’s comment came just a day after a shocking disruption in his courtroom. On Monday, 71-year-old lawyer Rakesh Kishore attempted to throw a shoe at CJI Gavai during proceedings. He was immediately restrained by security personnel and escorted out of the courtroom.
As he was being removed, Kishore shouted slogans, including, “Sanatan ka apmaan nahi sahega Hindustan” (India will not tolerate the disrespect of Sanatana Dharma). The Bar Council of India suspended his licence with immediate effect.
Despite the incident, CJI Gavai remained composed, telling those present, “Don’t get distracted by all this. We are not distracted. These things do not affect me.”
Kishore, meanwhile, has shown no remorse for his actions. Speaking to the media, he claimed he was acting under a “divine force” and said he was upset over the Chief Justice’s earlier remarks in a case concerning a beheaded Lord Vishnu idol in Madhya Pradesh. He also stated he was willing to face jail time and refused to apologise.
