CJI Shoe Hurling Incident: SC To Frame Guidelines On Glorification And Media Coverage; No Contempt Action For Now

The Supreme Court on Monday said it was not inclined to initiate criminal contempt proceedings against advocate Rakesh Kishore, who allegedly tried to hurl a shoe at Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai in open court earlier this month.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi said that since the Chief Justice had already forgiven the lawyer, the case was considered closed from the court’s side.

Justice Surya Kant: ‘Why give him importance after the magnanimity shown by the Chief Justice? Any punitive action will only flare up the issue further.’

The bench noted that it would lay down clear parameters for responsible reporting such sensitive cases.

Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Vikas Singh urged the court to take a stern view.

Singh said that Kishore’s subsequent media comments, where he allegedly said ‘God asked me to do it,’ had turned the incident into a ‘joke’ and mocked the institution. 

However, the bench reiterated that in matters of contempt, it is the prerogative of the judge concerned.

Justice Bagchi remarked, ‘When the judge concerned has pardoned, it becomes difficult to initiate contempt.’

At the same time, both judges expressed concern over the ‘glorification’ of such incidents on social media and said the issue was serious. 

Justice Bagchi: ‘How many issues, how many things are said on social media against judges—have we issued notices every time?’

The court decided to keep the matter pending to frame broader guidelines on the publication and media coverage of such episodes involving the judiciary.

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