Must not be forgotten: Supreme Court Justice Ujjal Bhuyan on lawyer's attempt to attack CJI BR Gavai

Supreme Court Justice Ujjal Bhuyan on Thursday condemned a lawyer's recent attempt to hurl a shoe at the Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai as an affront to the judicial institution that must never be forgotten.

During a hearing today, CJI Gavai recounted that Justice Vinod Chandran, who sat beside him, was equally shocked when the lawyer, Advocate Rakesh Kishore, attempted to throw a shoe towards the Bench on October 6.

"It's very sad that this has happened," said Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, who was addressing the Bench.

"We have forgotten about it," said CJI Gavai, in a lighter vein.

Justice Bhuyan, however, disagreed with CJI Gavai's inclination to let the incident go.

"I have my own views on this, it should never be forgotten...It’s the CJI. It’s not a matter of joke. He’s (the lawyer who attempted the attack) not apologetic thereafter. It’s an affront on the institution," said Justice Bhuyan.

Solicitor General of India (SG) Tushar Mehta agreed with Justice Bhuyan.

"(It is) unpardonable. It was your lordship's majesty and magnanimity (to move past it), but what happened was completely unpardonable," the SG said.

The lawyer at the centre of the controversy, Advocate Kishore, has since had his lawyer's licence suspended. He is also facing a criminal case registered in Bengaluru.

Soon after he hurled the shoe and while being escorted out of the courtroom by security, he was heard saying, "Mera sandesh har Sanatani ke liye hai…Sanatan dharma ka apmaan nahi sahega Hindustan.” [India will not tolerate insults to Sanatan Dharma]. Although he was arrested, he was released hours later after the Supreme Court formally conveyed that it did not wish to press charges.

Kishore's act was discussed today while the Bench of CJI Gavai and Justices Bhuyan and Chandran was hearing petitions seeking a review of its judgment in Vanashakti v. Union of India, by which it restrained the Central government from retrospectively granting environmental clearances.

Earlier in the hearing, the Bench had also quipped that it has started to guard itself against being misguided by caselaws that are quoted without context.

"We have developed a habit of not relying on lawyers in the Supreme Court. Lines are read out of context, paragraphs are read out of context," CJI Gavai remarked.

[Live Coverage]