"Leave this court right now….. You cannot cower us down!", an angry Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud shouted at senior advocate and SC Bar Association president Vikas Singh on Thursday following a heated exchange on listing of a case related to land allotment for lawyers chambers.
Singh mentioned the matter before the bench of CJI and Justice P S Narasimha. He sought hearing on the case, saying despite repeated request and assurance, the case was not being taken up for hearing.
The matter has not been listed for six times, he said.
To this, the CJI replied that it will be listed in ordinary course.
"Then I have to come to your residence,” he said, adding he would escalate the matter.
This triggered the Chief Justice to shout at Singh, "Leave this court right now….. You cannot cower us down!"
Singh also raised his voice, saying he is answerable to the Bar.
"Mr Vikas Singh, please do not raise your voice. As a president of the Bar, you should be a mentor and leader of the Bar. I am sorry you are reducing the level of the dialogue….you filed an Article 32 petition claiming that a land which is allotted to the Supreme Court of India should be handed over to the Bar for the purpose of construction of chambers,” the CJI said.
"We will deal with the matter when it comes. Please do not try to twist our arm,” the CJI said.
Singh said he was requesting for hearing. "The court may dismiss the matter," he said.
The CJI said that he has given a date and it will be taken up on March 17.
"It will not be listed at serial number 1 of the board," the CJI said.
After this, the CJI further told Singh, “I am the Chief Justice of this court. I have been here since March 29, 2000. I have been long enough in this profession for 22 years. I have never allowed myself to be brow beaten by a member of the Bar, by litigant, or by any one else. And, I will not do that in the final two years of my career”.
Singh then responded that he is not seeking any favour and people have been waiting for 20 years for the chambers, and if the Bar is cooperating with the court it does not mean that Bar should be taken for a ride.
The CJI then told Singh to sort out his agendas outside the courtroom.
Subsequently, Singh said the Bar was being treated worse than ordinary litigants.