New Delhi, Oct 16: The Attorney General of India has granted consent to initiate contempt of court proceedings against advocate Rakesh Kishore, who hurled a shoe at Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai during court proceedings on October 6.
The Supreme Court was informed of the decision on Thursday before a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Vikas Singh requested that the contempt case against Kishore be heard promptly.
Singh noted that social media had gone “berserk” following the incident, spreading comments that demean the judiciary’s dignity and institutional integrity. Both Mehta and Singh urged the court to issue restraining directions against such content.
Observing that the right to free speech is not absolute, the bench remarked that it cannot come at the cost of others’ dignity or institutional respect. It also expressed concern over the “unregulated” nature of social media, describing society as both “product and consumer” of online content.
However, the court declined to list the contempt case urgently, remarking, “Let’s see if some saleable points are still left after a week.”
The October 6 incident, a major security lapse, led the Bar Council of India to suspend Kishore’s licence immediately. The CJI, who remained calm during the episode, directed officials to “ignore” the act and release the lawyer with a warning. (Agencies)
