Today(on 8th May), Banter between Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal in the Supreme Court, during the West Bengal government’s case on CBI’s alleged misuse, injected a jovial tone into the proceedings.
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NEW DELHI: Today(on 8th May), At the Supreme Court, Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta and veteran Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal engaged in a light-hearted banter during the case filed by the West Bengal government regarding the alleged misuse of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by the Union government.
During the hearing, SG Tushar Mehta humorously remarked that unlike Sibal, he does not possess a platform like a YouTube channel to counter criticisms or articulate his perspectives. This was a nod to Sibal’s channel ‘Dil Se with Kapil Sibal,’ known for its interviews and discussions on pressing issues with key figures from various fields.
Sibal responded to this jest while the court focused on maintaining the legal decorum of the proceedings.
“We are focused on legal matters, not politics. We understand the intention behind what he (Sibal) said.”
-the bench comprising Justice BR Gavai and Justice Sandeep Mehta pointed out, emphasizing the need to stick to the legal matters at hand.
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The discourse took a reflective turn when Sibal expressed his desire to retract a statement he had made in the previous hearing, to which Mehta quipped-
“This is my sole platform for responding; I don’t have a YouTube channel.”
The court urged the counsel to continue with the substantive legal arguments instead of dwelling on this interlude.
The lighter moments extended to other parts of the session as well. When Sibal attempted to bring up broader issues related to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act during his arguments, the bench playfully cautioned him to not exceed his brief.
“Perhaps, without Mr. (Tushar) Mehta… There could be an alternative platform for that (smiles).”
– Justice Gavai commented, alluding to the possibility of such discussions perhaps being more suited for Sibal’s YouTube platform.
The judges and advocates also reflected on the non-political nature of their interactions in court, despite their political involvements or implications outside the judiciary.
“We are acquiring this knowledge from a lawmaker.”
– Justice Mehta said, smiling,
which prompted Justice Gavai to add-
“Senior Parliamentarian!”
As the session neared its lunch break, another amusing observation was made regarding the absence of ‘petitioner’ and ‘respondent’ signs in the courtroom, which led to a humorous remark by Sibal about the ongoing adversarial nature of legal proceedings:
“In this instance, both SG and I are always aware that we stand opposed to each other.”
-he noted, adding that despite their courtroom battles, they remain friends outside of court.
SG Mehta echoed this sentiment, saying-
“Only within the courtroom; outside, we are friends.”
The camaraderie was evident when Justice Gavai teased Mehta about spending vacations, referencing another lawyer, Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, which Sibal jokingly suggested might be costly for Mehta.
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“These statements carry considerable implications!”
-Mehta responded, ending the exchange on a light note.