Delhi Protests Cases in SC: Interruptions, Microphone Snatching Irks Senior Lawyer Gopal Sankaranarayanan, Quits Delhi Protest Cases
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan withdrew from seven crucial petitions concerning the Delhi protests before the Supreme Court after facing repeated interruptions and microphone-snatching incidents.
The high-profile lawyer stepped down during proceedings before a Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi. The top court was hearing roughly 46 petitions challenging police brutality, unlawful detentions, curbs on movement, journalists' rights, and the denotification of Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site.
Speaking to legal news portal Bar and Bench, Sankaranarayanan voiced deep dissatisfaction over the collapse of court decorum during the chaotic hearing. "The bench failed to control the court. I cannot continue like this. Dignity of the court is more important," Sankaranarayanan stated while confirming his decision to walk away from all seven matters.
Row Over Courtroom Decorum and Snatched Microphone
Sources confirmed that Sankaranarayanan had entered the courtroom fully prepared with detailed briefs and notes. Tensions escalated as lawyers constantly interrupted his arguments, preventing him from presenting his legal submissions effectively to the bench.
The situation deteriorated towards the end of the session when Sankaranarayanan attempted to address the judges once more. A senior female lawyer appearing on the same side allegedly snatched the microphone directly from his hands. Following the physical disruption, the senior counsel immediately walked out of the courtroom before the judges concluded the day's business.
Sankaranarayanan subsequently instructed his briefing legal teams and clients that he would no longer represent them in any ongoing or future proceedings tied to the Delhi protest litigation. His sudden exit removes one of the most prominent legal figures leading the challenge against actions taken by law enforcement agencies in the national capital.
