During a Supreme Court hearing, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi humorously declined to offer solicitor general Tushar Mehta an internship under him.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
NEW DELHI: Recently, During the Supreme Court proceedings of an original suit by the West Bengal government against the Centre regarding CBI investigations without state consent, an amusing exchange occurred between senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi and solicitor general Tushar Mehta.
Justice BR Gavai, leading the Supreme Court bench, commended Dr. Singhvi for his punctuality in attending multiple court cases, stating-
“Dr. Singhvi’s exemplary punctuality across all courts serves as a lesson for everyone.”
This statement paved the way for a playful exchange between Singhvi and Solicitor General Mehta.
ALSO READ: Debate on Gender Equality in the Judiciary: Insights from SG Tushar Mehta: Merit over Tokenism
Prompted by the praise, Solicitor General Mehta humorously expressed his desire to intern under Singhvi, saying-
“For the past three months, I’ve been urging him to take me on as an intern so I can gain valuable learning experiences.”
However, in a witty response, Singhvi declined the offer, quipping-
“I might be reluctant to bring on board an intern who is excessively qualified for the position.”
The core issue discussed in the hearing revolved around the original suit filed by the West Bengal government against the Centre, invoking Article 131 of the Constitution. The state alleged that the CBI was initiating investigations and filing First Information Reports (FIRs) without obtaining the necessary general consent from West Bengal.
Article 131 grants the Supreme Court original jurisdiction to resolve disputes between the Centre and one or more states. In this case, the West Bengal government, by invoking Article 131, sought the Court’s intervention to address its concerns regarding the CBI’s actions within the state.
The West Bengal government had withdrawn its “general consent” granted to the CBI on November 16, 2018. This move restricted the CBI’s authority to conduct investigations or raids within the state without specific permission for each case.
During the proceedings, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, emphasized the significance of Article 131 and stressed that it should not be misused. He clarified that the cases mentioned in the state’s suit were registered by the CBI and not directly by the Centre.
Mehta stated-
“The Union of India has not lodged any case; it’s been registered by the CBI,” elaborating, “CBI operates independently and is not under the direct control of the Union of India.”
The ongoing hearing for this matter is being conducted before a bench comprising Justices B. R. Gavai and Sandeep Mehta. The Court will carefully consider the arguments presented by both parties and make a well-informed decision regarding the West Bengal government’s allegations against the CBI’s investigative activities.