'Don't mess around with my authority': CJI Chandrachud warns lawyer
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New Delhi: Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud got irked when a lawyer mentioned a case and requested for an early hearing before a bench led by him.
The CJI told the lawyer that his matter will be listed on April 17, but then he requested permission to mention it before another bench, at which the CJI told him to not ‘mess’ with his authority.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud everyday usually hears around 100 cases on an average seeking urgent listing before the benches of the Supreme Court. The Chief Justice's court is often packed with lawyers, who mention their matter seeking urgent hearing.
During the mentioning of the cases, the Chief Justice is very soft spoken while engaging with lawyers and has rarely lost his cool during the court proceedings. However, on Tuesday, he got irked by the lawyer’s question.
The bench, headed by the Chief Justice, and also comprising Justices P.S. Narasimha and J.B. Pardiwala, told the lawyer not to play tricks with him and said: "You can't mention it here and then elsewhere for an earlier date."
The lawyer understood that his submissions irked the Chief Justice and expressed regret and said he should be excused for his submissions.
The Chief Justice told the lawyer, "Yes, you are excused. But do not mess around with my authority", as he proceeded with the mentioning process.
In March, during a case related to the allotment of land for lawyers' chambers, CJI Chandrachud had lost his cool when the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, Vikas Singh urged for listing the matter. Singh also mentioned that they would have to take it to the judge's residence if it was not listed.
“Is this the way to behave?..."I will not be cowered down by you," CJI DY Chandrachud had told Singh, adding that he had been in the legal profession for 22 years but never allowed intimidation tactics by a member of the Bar, litigant or anyone else and will not let that happen in the last two years of his profession.