The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday initiated suo motu contempt proceedings against one of its senior advocates for allegedly "having a drink in a beer mug" and "talking on the phone" while attending a court proceeding virtually on June 26. A Division Bench comprising Justice A S Supehia and Justice R T Vachhani on Tuesday directed the Registry to register the contempt proceedings against the senior advocate, stating that the conduct (of the senior advocate) was "outrageous and glaring". The alleged incident is said to have occurred in the court of Justice Sandeep Bhatt in which the senior advocate was appearing virtually. Stating that the video clip of live streaming of the said proceeding had been widely shared on social media, the court said that "the indecent act has very wide ramifications" as the video had "travelled beyond the precincts of this prestigious institution" and "dents the glory and dignity of the institution". The court said that "disregarding" the incident would be "destructive to the rule of law" and lead to a collapse of the institution as senior advocates are seen as role models and mentors for young lawyers. The court also noted that the senior advocate had allegedly violated the Rule 5(j) The Gujarat High Court (Live Streaming of Court Proceedings) Rules, 2021, which lays down that "anyone participating in the proceedings, whether in person or through video conferencing, will have to maintain utmost discipline and decorum for upholding the dignity and majesty of the court". It also said that the senior advocate's designation may be "reconsidered" as the "contemptuous demeanour unquestionably defies the privilege of Senior Counsel”, conferred by the HC. The court also directed the Registry to prepare a report and place it before the court by the next date of hearing as well as to preserve the said video. The court also restricted the appearance of the senior advocate through virtual mode before the Division Bench until further orders are passed.
