Supreme Court bar association calls off action against senior lawyers over apology to CJI

The SCBA also stated that it called off the proposed meeting since CJI Chandrachud had constituted a special bench to hear the case regarding allotment of Supreme Court land for constructing additional lawyers’ chambers.

On March 2, Singh had sought an urgent hearing on the issue, which ended with CJI Chandrachud asking him not to raise his voice and leave the court. Sibal and Kaul, who appeared before the CJI’s bench subsequently in an unconnected case, apologised to the bench.

“I’m sorry for what happened this morning. I apologise. There is a Lakshman rekha that none of us should cross. I don’t think the bar should transgress the limits of decorum,” Sibal had said.

The apology prompted SCBA to issue a show-cause notice to the senior lawyers for tendering an apology perceived to be on behalf of Vikas Singh.

In another resolution, the SCBA proposed to express solidarity with Singh for making efforts toward construction of their chambers. The SCBA was scheduled to vote on these resolutions on March 16.

On March 14, Venugopal, who has in the past served as the president of SCBA for three terms, wrote to Singh, requesting him to withdraw both resolutions. Venugopal also reasoned that the apology was given to “maintain cordial relations between the bar and the bench” and passing such resolutions could create “factions in the bar” and permanently sour the “peaceful relationship” that exists among its members.