[BREAKING] AG KK Venugopal writes to Supreme Court Registrar; says his AoR, instructing counsel in Maharashtra Wakf case replaced

Attorney General (AG) KK Venugopal has addressed a letter to the Registrar of the Supreme Court, expressing shock and displeasure after his Advocate-on-Record (AoR) and instructing counsel in a case relating to the Maharashtra State Board of Wakfs, were replaced behind his back..The Supreme Court had The letter addressed to Registrar (Judicial) stated the following:"Some shocking steps seem to have been taken by whosoever is behind the conduct of this case since-i. firstly, my advocate on record has been changed;ii. Shri Javed Sheikh, the special counsel appointed by the Wakf Board who has been instructing me in the Wakf Board cases from 2011 and who, in my opinion, is an authority on Wakf Law, has been removed from his post;iii. Shri Gopal Sankaranarayanan , who had informed the court on the last occasion that I would be leading him and has been instructing me in the matter, has been withdrawn from the case."The AG said that removing counsel representing the parties at the last minute was a serious, uncalled for and unwarranted attempt to interfere with the administration of justice."This is clearly an act of contempt of court”, the letter reads.He pointed out the conduct of those behind this case, calling it shocking since his AoR, special counsel who had been instructing him and senior counsel engaged were all changed behind his back..The issue came to the AG’s notice when a letter by the petitioner’s counsel Shashibhushan P Adgaonkar was placed before him stating that since a letter of adjournment was circulated earlier citing AG's health, the board made alternate arrangements to go ahead with the matter in view of the urgency in the case.However, the AG clarified that he had himself withdrawn the letter, since the CJI wished to know the status of his health..The letter clarified that the AoR being changed made no difference on the AG’s right of audience.“It will be noted that when the Attorney General exercises his right of audience under Article 76(3) of the Constitution, he does it on his own right and need not exercise the right only on instructions from an advocate on record,” the letter said..The case involves the question of whether every charitable trust created by a Muslim person becomes Wakf property.The Bombay High Court had quashed a Maharashtra government circular constituting the Wakf Board as well as a notification of properties falling under Wakf. The Maharashtra State Board of Wakfs had moved the Supreme Court in appeal against the same. .When the case was taken up by a bench led by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana on Tuesday, the AG alerted the bench that he was no longer representing the Wakf Board since he had been removed.While the counsel hastened to apologise, and said that the letter to the AG had been withdrawn, the CJI reprimanded him stating that this was not the way to address the AG."Is this the way you deal with AG Venugopal? You have forced him to write the letter," CJI Ramana said.The AG requested the court to keep the case on board."This cannot be allowed in highest court of the country. This is disgraceful," he underscored.Consequently, the case was adjourned to August 19 and would be heard along with the AG's letter..[Read Letter].[Read our live coverage of the hearing]

[BREAKING] AG KK Venugopal writes to Supreme Court Registrar; says his AoR, instructing counsel in Maharashtra Wakf case replaced

Shagun Suryam

Debayan Roy

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