SCBA calls off GBM for taking up resolutions against two senior lawyers
New Delhi, March 15 : The Supreme Court Bar Association’s (SCBA) executive committee on Wednesday decided to call off the general body meeting (GBM), slated forThursday to vote on resolutions seeking explanation from senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Neeraj Kishan Kaul for apologising to Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud on behalf of the bar body.
In a letter signed by senior advocate and SCBA President Vikas Singh, the bar association said it has received an email dated March 14 from a few senior advocates with some other names, without any relevant details as to their SCBA membership number, mobile phone number, signature etc. seeking withdrawal of the proposed resolutions.
Sibal and Kaul had apologised to the top court after a heated exchange between the CJI and Singh on March 2, on allotment of land for lawyers’ chambers.
The SCBA said it has received a letter written by senior advocate and former Attorney General K.K. Venugopal dated March 14, which also referred to some letter addressed to the SCBA seeking withdrawal of the resolutions.
The SCBA’s letter to the bar members also pointed out that the CJI has acceded to the request made by Singh and constituted a special bench comprising himself, and Justices S.K. Kaul and P.S. Narasimha to hear the petition filed by it in connection to allocation of land.
The bar body pointed out that as per rules, no member, individually or collectively, has a right to ask for withdrawal of a particular resolution but, the only right that a member has, whether individually or collectively, is to vote for/against the resolution at the time of the GBM.
“In view thereof, Resolution ‘A’ stands fulfilled and thus the Executive Committee of SCBA has decided to call off the Special General Body Meeting which was to be held on Thursday, March 16, 2023 at 4 p.m. in the Supreme Court lawns with regard to Resolution ‘A'”, said the SCBA’s letter.
The decision was taken in a meeting of the SCBA Executive Committee earlier in the day.
The bar body further added that the executive committee of the SCBA, expects that any member of the bar may refrain from making any statement contrary to the larger interest of the bar, diluting the stand taken by the elected representatives of the bar.
–IANS
