'Don't Make A Political Speech In Court' : CJI To Lawyer Seeking Listing Of Plea Against Collegium System

Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna today reprimanded Advocate Mathews Nedumpara, asking him to refrain from making a "political speech" in the Court when the latter mentioned his petition challenging the collegium system.

Nedumpara was mentioning a writ petition filed in 2022 seeking the abolition of the collegium system of appointing judges and to revive the National Judicial Appointments Commission.

"CJI Chandrachud said it 5 times (to list) ....NJAC is the need of the hour , it has to come. The Vice President has said it, and the people of this country demand it. Your lordship has promised to list it," Nedumpara said.

CJI in response said : "Do not put words in my mouth, that's all. Please... do not make a political speech in the court, that's it." 

Last year, the Supreme Court's Registry had refused to receive the petition, saying that the issue was already settled in the 2015 NJAC verdict and a writ petition raising the same issue was not maintainable. The Registry said that the petitioner was essentially seeking a review of the NJAC judgment through a writ petition filed under Article 32 of the Constitution.

The Registrar refused to receive the petition in light of Order XV Rule 5 of the Supreme Court Rules, 2013. Order XV Rule 5 reads as follows: “The Registrar may refuse to receive a petition on the ground that it discloses no reasonable cause or is frivolous or contains scandalous matter, but the petitioner may within fifteen days of the making of such order, appeal by way of motion, from such refusal to the Court.”

Case Title: Shri Mathews J. Nedumpara & Ors. v. Hon'ble The Chief Justice of India & Ors., WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) NO. 1005 OF 2022