SC rejects adjournment request for naming senior advocate, warns lawyers

The Supreme Court on Wednesday took strong objection to a lawyer seeking adjournment in a matter on grounds that a senior lawyer will argue the case.

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan reprimanded the lawyer, who sought to defer the matter pertaining to a commercial dispute.

The lawyer asked the court to adjourn the matter for four weeks, saying senior advocate Harish Salve will argue the matter.

The lawyer said Salve was abroad and will argue the matter physically after his return.

"Are you under an impression that we will adjourn a matter if you take the name of a senior counsel? This tendency of the lawyers at the bar must stop. We are not going to adjourn matters just because you take the name of any senior counsel," the bench observed.

When the matter later came up for hearing, the court said it wants to dispel the impression that it can adjourn the matter in the name of the senior counsel.

However, it accepted the request and adjourned the hearing.

The apex court had earlier in January pulled up a lawyer addressing the court from his car and underscored the importance of maintaining dignity in legal proceedings.