New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday came down heavily on Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for leading a march to the apex court on Monday and protesting at its premises.
“Nobody can browbeat judiciary,” Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant said, to the march to Supreme Court.
The top court took up the petitions filed by Rahul and other INDIA Bloc leaders questioning the functioning of Election Commission of India (ECI) over SIR-related decisions. Notices were issued to the ECI, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and the two Election Commissioners, but the top court added that issuing notice doesn’t mean condoning the conduct of political leaders.
“We will issue notice but we want to know his conduct on the next date of hearing,” the CJI said.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and advocate Gaurav Bhatia had raised the issue of the march to Supreme Court, NDTV reported.
“It is unacceptable that this court is seized with political procession. What happened in SC should not have happened,” Bhatia pointed out.
At this point, the CJI said, “Nobody can browbeat the judiciary.”
As Bhatia asserted that the protest and march was an attempt to pressurise the top court, the CJI observed: “These are feeble attempts that nobody takes note of. Outside they make statements…we are not sitting in ivory tower, we are aware of things.”
The Supreme Court issued notice to Rahul, Akhilesh Yadav and others on a separate petition against their march to the temple of justice.
CCTV recordings from the top court’s premises during INDIA bloc’s protest were asked to be preserved.
Despite the CJI declining Rahul’s request for an appointment to discuss SIR-related issues and allegations of irregularities against the CEC, Rahul spearheaded a bloc march from Barakhamba Road to the Supreme Court on October 12.