Senior Supreme Court lawyer quits practice citing ‘humiliation’

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, December 11 

Senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan on Monday quit legal profession citing “humiliation” faced in the court of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra during hearing of Delhi Government versus Lt Governor case on administrative control over the national capital. 

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In a two-paragraph letter addressed to the CJI, Dhavan said he did not want to continue in the legal profession after the humiliation. 

Designated as a Senior Advocate by the top court on May 11, 1994, Dhavan has asked the CJI to even take back the senior advocate designation the top court conferred upon him. However, he said he would like to keep the gown for the “memory and services he rendered”. 

The CJI headed the Constitution Bench that heard the case on December 6 when he and Dhavan had a heated exchange with Justice Misra. Later, they had a spat during hearing on Delhi case. 

“After the humiliating end in the Delhi case, I have decided to give up court practice,” read his short letter to the CJI. When The Tribune contacted Dhawan, he said only that he stood by what he had written. “I would never go back to the court,” Dhavan said. 

The CJI also refused to comment.

Dhavan’s decision comes days after spat with the CJI on two consecutive days last week. 

During the Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid dispute hearing, Dhavan had asked a CJI-led three-judge Bench to put off hearing of the case till July 15, 2019, as it was not likely to be over until Justice Misra retired in October 2018. 

The Bench had taken exception to his arguments termed it “unfortunate”. Justice Misra had criticised senior advocates for making high-pitched “atrocious arguments” and warned of severe action if the bar failed to regulate its members. He said such lawyers did not deserve senior designation.