"If You Make One More Retort, I Will Take Contempt Against You":Justice Arun Mishra To Sr. Adv. Gopal Sankaranarayanan [Courtroom Exchange]

The hearing in the Indore Development Authority Case on Tuesday was privy to a heated exchange between Justice Arun Mishra and Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan.

When Justice Mishra observed more than once that the Senior Counsel's arguments were repetitive, having already been advanced by earlier respondents' advocates, Mr. Sankaranarayanan submitted that he was not accustomed to arguing like this.

"Then you may sit down!", said Justice Mishra sternly.

As the Senior Advocate resumed his case, Justice Mishra took offence once again-

"You are making a mockery of the justice delivery system! We are hearing patiently. And You are commenting on every query? Retorting on every query? If you make one more retort and I will take contempt against you and make sure it is seen through!...Now If you have any new points, you may only make them!"

At this point, Mr. Sankaranarayanan excused himself from the hearing.

At the start, Justice Mishra had also expressed displeasure at the advocate addressing the bench as "you".

Mr. Sankaranarayanan was one of the lawyers who had in October Justice Mishra's recusal from the matter, the judge having earlier rendered the Indore Development Authority decision which is under reconsideration before this 5 judge bench.

Later in the day, when Justice Ravindra Bhat had asked Senior Counsel Dushyant Dave to try to not reiterate the contentions already made before, Mr. Dave had offered to not argue at all so as to not waste the court's time-

"The others have said everything already! Then I won't argue! I don't want to waste Your Lordships' time! ...There is nothing beyond these sections that can be argued! We are on interpretation!"