CBI investigation needed into law degrees, says CJI Surya Kant

The exasperation of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant appeared to get the better of him on Friday, 15 May, during the hearing of a petition filed by a lawyer alleging that he was being ignored by the Delhi High Court for designation as a senior advocate.

Even if the high court designated him, the CJI said, the apex court would undo it because "he did not deserve" the designation, which is conferred on lawyers and not pursued by them, a visibly irritated CJI pointed out. He even dictated the order before eventually relenting and allowing the lawyer to apologise and withdraw the petition.

There appeared to be several bogus lawyers in Delhi, the CJI observed, adding that he was seriously contemplating ordering a CBI investigation into the authenticity of law degrees.

“Let people understand the kind of language you are using on Facebook. I will show you what is the meaning of discipline in the profession," the CJI said. "Is a senior advocate tag a status symbol which is ornamental to be kept or for your participation in the justice system?" asked Justice Joymalya Bagchi, who was on the Bench with the CJI.

"There are already parasites in society. And you want to join hands with them? There are youngsters like cockroaches who are not getting employment in the profession. Some are on social media, some become RTI activists. And you people file contempt petitions because the High Court is not taking up something. Rubbish!" the CJI said.

"I am waiting for some matter...I want the CBI to verify the LLB degrees of most of the Delhi people...in Tis Hazari so and so...the kind of Facebook and things they are putting....do they think we are not watching? The Bar Council of India will not do anything...thousands of them are fraudulent people who are wearing black robes...I have serious doubts on the genuineness of their law degrees. Probably CBI will have to do something. BCI will never do, because they are hands in glove, they are absolutely in collusion," he added.

Stating that there were enough "parasites" in society who were attacking the judiciary, the CJI said lawyers should not join hands with them.

The observations, reported by legal portals Live Law and Bar & Bench, shocked some people.

“The Chief Justice of India called unemployed youth, journalists, RTI activists, and social media users ‘parasites’ and ‘cockroaches’ attacking the system. These are citizens of India. The same citizens whose collective will crafted the Constitution. The same Constitution that established the courts. The same courts that give the CJI every gram of his authority. (Yet) he is sitting on a throne, calling the people who built it an infestation. This is Indian neo-feudalism in its purest form,” fumed an outraged citizen.

What, however, is perhaps an even more pertinent question to ask is how a frivolous and relatively unimportant petition found its way to the CJI’s Bench. If the CJI’s Bench has to deal with such petitions on a daily basis, Justice Surya Kant’s exasperation becomes easier to understand.