‘Assault On Judicial Independence’: Lawyer Who Hurled Object At CJI Gavai Barred From Supreme Court

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on Thursday terminated the temporary membership of advocate Rakesh Kishore, who was suspended for throwing an object at Chief Justice of India Justice BR Gavai during morning proceedings inside the courtroom on Monday.

In a resolution passed unanimously, the SCBA Executive Committee said it had taken “serious note of the grave misconduct” committed by Kishore. The lawyer, registered with the Bar Council of Delhi since 2009, was a temporary member of the SCBA.

Calling the act “reprehensible, disorderly and intemperate”, the association said such behaviour was “utterly unbecoming of an officer of the court” and a “serious breach of professional ethics, decorum and the dignity of the Supreme Court of India”.

“The said conduct amounts to a direct assault on judicial independence, the sanctity of courtroom proceedings and the long-standing relationship of mutual respect and trust between the Bar and the Bench,” the resolution stated.

After deliberating on the gravity of the incident, the SCBA concluded that allowing Kishore to continue as a temporary member would be “wholly inconsistent with the dignity and discipline expected of members of this Association”.

The Executive Committee, therefore, resolved to terminate his membership with immediate effect and directed that his name be removed from the rolls of the Association.

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