New Delhi: The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has expressed its discontent on the apology tendered by senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Neeraj Kishan Kaul to the Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud on behalf of the Bar over the remarks made by SCBA president Vikas Singh.
A circular, issued by the SCBA, said: “The members of the Bar are extremely perturbed by what happened that day and have asked for a General Body Meeting signed by 184 members for considering the resolution…and second resolution signed by 235 members regarding the apology tendered by senior members of the Bar without knowing the issue and without consulting anyone in the EC (executive committee) of the SCBA…”
According to the circular, the EC held a meeting on March 6, where it decided for a special general body meeting (GBM) to be held on March 16, in view of the requisitions: Signed by 235 members for calling urgent GBM of SCBA; signed by 184 members calling for GBM to show solidarity with the SCBA president and on the issue of allotment of land for lawyers’ chambers.
On March 2, the CJI told the senior advocate and Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Vikas Singh to not threaten him, during a hearing on the listing of the petition to convert a parcel of land which was allotted to the Supreme Court into chamber blocks for lawyers. Singh mentioned the matter before a bench headed by the CJI and comprising Justice P.S. Narasimha sought hearing on the case and added that the matter has not been listed for six times. CJI replied that it will be listed in ordinary courses. Singh submitted that then “I have to come to your residence…”
This statement angered Chief Justice Chandrachud and he told Singh not to threaten the Chief Justice. The Chief Justice shouted at Singh, “Leave this court right now… You cannot cower us down!”
The circular stressed that the members of the Bar are extremely perturbed with this incident and also regarding the apology tendered by senior members of the Bar without knowing the issue and without consulting anyone in the EC of the SCBA. The resolutions listed for meeting are: “A. Members of the Bar expressing complete solidarity with the stand taken by the President SCBA in the Court of Hon’ble Chief Justice of India with regard to the Chambers construction issue in the newly allotted land; B. Issue appropriate Show Cause Notice to the concerned members as mentioned in the resolution demanding their explanation; and C. Any mentioning done by a member of the Bar to belittle the stand taken by the SCBA in the Judicial proceeding should be highly condemned and in future strict action be taken against such member.”
(IANS)
