Lawyers’ conduct in Ramjanambhoomi hearing shameful, says SC Chief Justice

Dipak Misra

New Delhi, Dec 7 – Supreme Court Chief Justice Dipak Misra on Thursday lamented the conduct of certain senior lawyers during the hearing in the Ramjanambhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute case and dubbed it “shameful”.

Senior lawyers Kapil Sibal, Rajeev Dhavan and Dushant Dave had threatened to leave on Tuesday after the apex court asked senior counsel C.S. Vaidyanathan to commence arguments in the Ayodhya case.

“What happened yesterday (Wednesday) was shameful. What happened day before yesterday (Tuesday) was extremely shameful,” said Chief Justice Misra, who heads the Constitution Bench.

“Unfortunately, a small group of lawyers think they can raise their voice. We make it clear that raising of voice will not be tolerated. Raising of voice only shows your (lawyers) inadequacy and incompetence.”

Reminding the Bar of its traditions, he said: “It is not the tradition of the Bar. If the Bar does not regulate itself, we will compel it to regulate itself,” Chief Justice Misra said.

Sibal, Dhavan and Dave had sought deferment of the Ramjanambhoomi case hearing till after the 2019 general elections but the Supreme Court had asked senior counsel C.S. Vaidyanathan — appearing for deity Ramlala — to commence arguments. The case was later deferred to February 8.

Earlier, lawyer Rajeev Dhavan told the apex court that he would not mind any judgment in a case of the tussle between the Centre and the Delhi government on the powers to administer Delhi, which was objected to by senior counsel Indira Jaising.

The Chief Justice appreciated Jaising for telling Dhavan that he can’t be presumptive about the judgment.

The Chief Justice’s remarks on Thursday came on the commencement of hearing in the case when senior counsel Gopal Subramanium, in order to express the legal fraternity’s concerns, said they too were “conservative” in practicing the Bar’s traditions and upholding the court’s majesty.