"In poor taste": Delhi High Court berates lawyer for appearing with taped mouth in protest

The Delhi High Court recently expressed its displeasure with the conduct of a lawyer with over 25 years of experience after he appeared before the Court with red stickfast tape over his mouth, claiming he had been “silenced” by the bench during previous hearings in the matter [Court on its own motion v Delhi Administration thr BDO].

The incident occurred on December 1 during the hearing of a contempt of court case and a connected writ petition filed by one Nand Kishore. As proceedings began, advocate RK Saini, representing Kishore, walked into the courtroom with red tape across his mouth, prompting initial concern from the bench that he may have been injured.

A Bench of Justices Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Anish Dayal asked Saini about the tape, upon which he said he was expressing symbolic protest.

Saini told the judges that he had been stopped midway during arguments in previous hearings, and therefore taped his lips to show that he was prevented from presenting his case.

The Court then sharply criticised the act, calling it “completely in poor taste” and “unbecoming of a lawyer” with over 25 years of experience. The judges noted that Saini had previously been asked to pause only because his submissions had become “too lengthy and repetitive,” and the court needed to hear the state’s response.

“The aforesaid conduct of Mr Saini warrants us to place on record that the arguments canvassed by Mr Saini on last couple of occasions before this Court were getting too lengthy and repetitive, and this Court upon appreciating the case of petitioner requested Mr Saini to stop from arguing further, so that we could have the response of the counsel for the other side. In this context, conduct of Mr Saini, as demonstrated today in the Court, is completely in poor taste and unexpected of a lawyer of the stature of Mr Saini who, in our understanding, has standing of more than 25 years,” the Court recorded in its order. 

Further, it said that it would have passed orders against Saini but is refraining from doing so, considering his standing at the bar.

“This could have prompted us to pass appropriate orders against Mr Saini, however, considering his standing, we have refrained ourselves from passing such order. However, we place on record our strong displeasure to the unbecoming and unbefitting conduct of Advocate Mr RK Saini.”

The Court adjourned the main case to January 21, 2026. 

Advocates RK Saini and Dashmesh Tripathi represented petitioner Nand Kishore. 

Senior Advocate Sanjay Jain with Standing Counsel Sameer Vashisht, Panel Counsel Anubhav Gupta and advocate Khushboo Mitta represented the Delhi government. 

DDA was represented by advocates Gaganmeet Singh Sachdeva, Hridyesh Khanna and Harshpreet Singh Chadha appeared for the DDA. 

[Read Order]