New Delhi: Attorney General for India, R Venkataramani, has granted consent for initiating criminal contempt proceedings against suspended advocate Rakesh Kishore, who attempted to hurl a shoe at Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud inside the Supreme Court on October 6.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the top court on Thursday about the AG’s decision, highlighting that Kishore’s actions were not only inappropriate but amounted to a serious affront to the dignity of the judiciary.
In his official response to a request from Senior Advocate Vikas Singh, President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), the AG stated that the conduct and utterances of the suspended lawyer were “scandalous” and clearly intended to “demean the majesty and authority of the Supreme Court.” He further added that such behaviour undermines the very foundation of the judicial system and has the potential to erode public confidence in the institution.
The incident took place inside Courtroom No. 1, where Kishore, a 71-year-old lawyer who had been suspended earlier, attempted to throw a shoe at the bench presided over by CJI Gavai. Kishore was reportedly upset over remarks made by the CJI during the hearing of a case concerning the restoration of a decapitated idol of Lord Vishnu at a temple in Khajuraho.
While the CJI later described the episode as a “forgotten chapter” during an unrelated hearing, his colleague, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, took a sterner view, calling the act an “affront to the institution” and not something to be taken lightly.
Solicitor General Mehta also condemned the act, calling it “unpardonable,” and noted that it was only due to the CJI’s magnanimity that the attacker had not already faced harsh punishment.
With the AG’s consent now in place, the path is clear for criminal contempt proceedings to be formally initiated against Rakesh Kishore, reinforcing the judiciary’s stance on protecting the dignity and decorum of the highest court.
