A view of Supreme Court of India. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
The Supreme Court of India on Friday (May 11, 2026) said a verbal exchange between a young advocate and a judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, widely circulated on social media, was amicably resolved with the intervention of the Chief Justice of the High Court, who separately interacted with both the lawyer and the judge.
The May 6 incident in the court room which showed the judge summoning police personnel to take the lawyer to a day’s judicial custody had galvanised both the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and the Bar Council of India to send representations to the Chief Justice to India, who had taken so motu cognisance.
On Monday (May 11, 2026), Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said the Chief Justice of the High Court had informed him that the exchange happened over a misunderstanding. The judge had suggested a judicial precedent while the lawyer had insisted on referring to the case law he had in hand. The file in the lawyer’s hand had struck the podium which the judge thought was flung down by the former. The Bench had seen the act as a “perceived lack of diligence” to the court. However, the lawyer explained that the documents had fallen from his hand.
The oral observations of the judge were not recorded as part of the court order. Neither was the lawyer actually taken into custody.
The High Court Chief Justice said the advocate had assured that the incident had not cast a shadow over his professional confidence. The court closed the case, saying there was no further need to intervene.
The Supreme Court directed grievance redressal committees to be formed in High Courts and lower courts across the country to resolve issues and maintain an amicable relationship between the Bar and the Bench.
“The Supreme Court advised judges to guide young advocates, starting out in the legal profession, with patience and compassion so that their spirit did not die. The judiciary at every level and senior members of the Bar must aid young lawyers to imbibe the foundations of law practice,” Chief Justice Kant said.
“Judiciary must actually collaborate for the qualitative enhancement of standards of the legal profession… The strength and caliber of the Bench is dependent on the continuing nurturing and development of the Bat at all levels,” the Supreme Court observed.
The SCBA resolution, issued through its president Vikas Singh, had earlier highlighted that judicial strength was best demonstrated through patience, rather than fear, especially when dealing with young advocates who were still new to the profession.
“The SCBA expresses its deep concern and shock at the reported incident dated May 5, 2026, before the High Court of Andhra Pradesh, wherein a young advocate was allegedly directed to be taken into judicial custody for 24 hours during court proceedings before Justice Tarlada Rajasekhar Rao,” the SCBA resolution had stated.
Published – May 11, 2026 03:16 pm IST
