New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday said it would not initiate contempt proceedings against advocate Rakesh Kishore, who hurled a shoe towards Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai earlier this month, observing that the CJI himself had refused to pursue action in the matter.
A Bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi noted that while shouting slogans and throwing shoes in court clearly amount to contempt, the decision to proceed lies solely with the concerned judge. The court remarked that issuing a contempt notice would “only give undue importance to the lawyer” and “extend the shelf life of the incident,” suggesting that the episode should “die its own natural death.”
The remarks came during the hearing of a plea filed by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), which had sought contempt action against the 71-year-old lawyer for the October 6 incident.
The Bench added that the court would consider formulating guidelines to prevent similar disruptions in the future and directed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to compile details of such incidents, including other instances of shoe throwing in courts across the country.
Earlier, on October 16, the Supreme Court had warned that freedom of speech and expression cannot be exercised at the cost of another’s dignity or the court’s integrity. The court had also highlighted the growing danger of “unregulated” social media, calling such actions “money-spinning ventures.”
The October 6 incident, which occurred during court proceedings, saw Kishore hurling a shoe toward the CJI — an act widely condemned across political and legal circles. The Bar Council of India promptly suspended his license, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally reached out to CJI Gavai following the unprecedented breach.
Despite the uproar, the CJI had displayed composure and instructed court officials to “ignore” the act, allowing the lawyer to be let off with a warning, demonstrating restraint and judicial dignity.
