‘Lower your voice…’: CJI DY Chandrachud reprimands lawyer during Kolkata rape and murder case hearing

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud reprimanded a lawyer for raising his voice during a hearing in the Supreme Court and asked him to lower his voice.

The incident happened at the hearing of the Kolkata doctor rape and murder case on Monday, September 9. The bench comprised DY Chandrachud, Justices Misra and JB Pardiwala.

As the hearing progressed, senior advocate Kapil Sibal told the court that he had videos and photographs to show that the lawyer was throwing stones at a protest over the crime, according to a report by NDTV. Sibal is representing the West Bengal government in the Kolkata doctor rape and murder case.

In response to Sibal’s comment, Kaustav Bagchi, also a BJP leader, questioned how such a senior lawyer could say such things in court. “Are you trying to address the gallery outside the court? I have been noticing your demeanour for the last two hours,” CJI DY Chandrachud responded. Additionally, he asked Bagchi to lower his voice.

"Can you first lower your pitch? Listen to the Chief Justice; lower your pitch. You are addressing three judges in front of you, not the large audience who is watching these proceedings on the video conferencing platform," the report quoted CJI.

Bagchi then tendered an apology to the court.

CJI also said that he is not used to multiple people arguing simultaneously. “I am not used to this kind of advocacy where 7-8 people are arguing at the same time,” he said.

DY Chandrachud expressed his concern about the doctors' protest on account of the rape and murder at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, as the protests should not continue at the cost of duty. The SC permitted the West Bengal government to take disciplinary action if the protesting doctors did not return to work.

“We want to ensure that doctors resume work and we will give them safety, security... but they have to join work. When we said that no adverse action shall be taken against the doctors...Mr Sibal states that no action, including punitive transfers, should be there,” he said.