Constitutional Whispers
There are several troubling aspects to the Apex Court’s interventions in the R G Kar case, argues Debarshi Chakraborty.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud everyday usually hears around 100 cases on an average seeking urgent listing before the benches of the Supreme Court. The Chief Justice’s court is often packed with lawyers, who mention their matter seeking urgent hearing.
During the mentioning of the cases, the Chief Justice is very soft spoken while engaging with lawyers and has rarely lost his cool during the court proceedings. However, on Tuesday, he got irked and warned a lawyer: “Don’t mess around with my authority.”
The lawyer had mentioned a case and requested the court for an early hearing in the matter but after the bench told him that his matter will be listed on April 17, he asked the liberty to mention the matter before another bench. “I can mention before another bench, if permitted,” said the lawyer.
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The bench, headed by the Chief Justice, and also comprising Justices P.S. Narasimha and J.B. Pardiwala, told the lawyer not to play tricks with him and said: “You can’t mention it here and then elsewhere for an earlier date.”
The lawyer understood that his submissions have irked the Chief Justice and expressed regret and said he should be excused for his submissions.
The Chief Justice told the lawyer, “Yes, you are excused. But do not mess around with my authority”, as he proceeded with the mentioning process.
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