Supreme Court of India Chief Justice Surya Kant on Friday made sharp remarks while hearing a plea filed by a lawyer seeking designation as a senior advocate. Sitting alongside Justice Joymalya Bagchi, the CJI said senior advocate status was conferred by courts and could not be pursued aggressively.
During the hearing, the bench criticised the petitioner’s conduct and social media activity, warning that even if the Delhi High Court granted him the designation, the Supreme Court could examine and set it aside. The bench remarked that society already had enough people attacking institutions and questioned why the petitioner wanted to align with such behaviour.
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In a controversial observation, the CJI said some unemployed youngsters turn into media persons, social media users, RTI activists and other campaigners who “start attacking everyone”. The remarks quickly drew attention online.
The bench also questioned whether the lawyer’s conduct suited someone aspiring to become a senior advocate. It stressed that the designation should not be treated as a status symbol or pursued ornamentally. During the hearing, the court additionally raised concerns over the authenticity of certain law degrees and remarked that authorities were reluctant to act due to vote-bank considerations.
