“Do not feel the need to enter judges corridors”, SCBA President, Vice President return Special Proximity Card

After controversy erupted at yesterday’s Executive Committee meeting of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) over issuance of special proximity cards for access to corridors of Supreme Court judges, SCBA President Vikas Singh has written to Registrar General Ravindra Maithani today returning the special proximity cards issued to him and Vice President Sukumar Pattjoshi..In his letter he states that they are returning the special proximity cards,.“as they both feel that they do not need to enter Judges corridor unless being called by Hon’ble judges or after having sought an appointment by Hon’ble judges”.He has therefore, asked the Registry to cancel the special proximity cards..However, he has also stated that the special proximity cards issued to Joint Secretary, Treasurer and Joint Treasurer may be reissued..The issue of special proximity cards for access to corridors of Supreme Court judges, had led to a major difference of opinion in yesterday’s Executive Committee meeting..This led to two separate minutes of the meeting being published, one signed by Secretary Vikrant Yadav and the other signed by thirteen members of the Executive Committee..As per the minutes signed by thirteen members, six proximity cards were issued by the Registry to six office bearers. However, the cards of the three office-bearers – Treasurer, Joint Treasurer and Joint Secretary – were “returned back to the Registry unilaterally”..Treasurer Meenesh Dubey, Joint Secretary Rahul Kaushik and Joint Treasurer Pijush Kanti Roy had requested the President to let them raise this issue in the meeting but the President had rejected the request..The members then requested a vote on the issue but the President rejected it and walked out of the meeting,.“uttering words not befitting the office of the President”..However, the minutes signed by the Secretary did not reveal much except that the meeting was adjourned after certain members raised their voice..With the letter by Presideny Vikas Singh today, the issue seems to have been put to rest for now..Read the letter by Vikas Singh below.