SCAORA condemns 'disrespectful gesture' against CJI, urges SC to invoke contempt

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association on Monday passed a unanimous resolution, strongly condemning the incident of a lawyer allegedly attempting to hurl a shoe towards Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai during a court proceeding.

The Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA), headed by Vipin Nair, described the incident as a "disrespectful and intemperate gesture" by an advocate.

In a statement issued by its secretary, Nikhil Jain, the association asked the top court to "take suo motu cognizance of the said conduct and initiate appropriate proceedings for contempt of court, as the act/gesture is a calculated move to scandalise the authority of the Hon'ble Supreme Court and lower its dignity in the eyes of the public." It said such an action would serve as a necessary reminder that freedom of speech, while sacrosanct, carries with it a duty of restraint, particularly for members of the legal profession who are officers of the court.

The association said that it "unanimously expresses its deep anguish and disapproval at the recent act of an advocate who, by his unwarranted and intemperate gesture, sought to disrespect the office and authority of the Hon'ble Chief Justice of India and his companion Judges." Such conduct is unbecoming of a member of the Bar and strikes at the very foundation of mutual respect that sustains the relationship between the "Bench and the Bar," it said.

The behaviour is antithetical to the dignity of the legal profession and contrary to the constitutional values of decorum, discipline, and institutional integrity, it added.

"Any attempt to malign or a personalised act/gesture aimed against a sitting judge of the Hon'ble Supreme Court constitutes a direct assault on the independence of the judiciary and undermines public faith in the justice delivery system," it said.

The bar body said that it unequivocally condemns this "cowardly and disrespectful act" and stands in complete solidarity with the CJI and the entire judiciary in upholding the majesty, independence, and impartiality of the Supreme Court.

"The Association reaffirms its faith in the principles of secularism, unity, and fraternity, which form the cornerstone of both our Constitution and the Bar's collective conscience. It calls upon all members of the legal fraternity to uphold professional decorum, refrain from divisive conduct, and work together to preserve the dignity and unity of the institution we serve," it said.