Salve recuses as amicus curiae in SC pandemic hearing

Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 23

A day after being appointed as amicus curiae by the Supreme Court to assist it in the suo motu case on Covid-19 management, senior advocate Harish Salve on Friday recused himself following allegations of conflict of interest.

“It’s the most sensitive case this court will look into. I don’t want this case to be decided under a shadow that I knew the CJI from school and college days... and allegations that there is a conflict of interest,” Salve told a three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, referring to critical comments made by some lawyers on his appointment as amicus curiae.

“Please allow me to recuse with all humility. I appeared for Vedanta since I was informed 10 minutes before mentioning...I don’t want any side show. The language of the narrative now is very different,” Salve submitted.

The CJI accepted Salve’s recusal request even as he said there was nothing clandestine about their relationship. “We understand you are pained by those statements. We will honour your sentiments. We will allow your request,” he said. Giving time to the Centre to file its reply with regard to a national plan to deal with the health crisis created by the pandemic, the Bench posted the matter for further hearing on Tuesday.