Delhi Bar Council Issues Notice to Prashant Bhushan Asking why Disciplinary Proceedings Against him should not be Initiated Following SC Contempt Verdict

The Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) on whose rolls advocate Prashant Bhushan is enrolled, has issued notice to him asking him show-cause why disciplinary proceedings under the Advocates Act, 1961 should not be initiated against him for having been found guilty of contempt of court by the apex court.

BCD, in this context, has also asked Bhushan to appear before it on October 23 either in person or through his authorized representative.

This has come after the Bar Council of India (BCI) directed the BCD on September 4 to examine whether Bhushan’s conviction for contempt of court invited disciplinary proceedings against him under the Advocates Act, 1961.

The BCI had said that it was the view that the tweets and statements made by Prashant Bhushan and the judgment of the Supreme Court need a thorough examination by the Bar Council in light of the statutory duties, power and functions conferred on it under the Advocates’ Act 1961 and the rules framed thereunder, particularly Section 24A and Section 35 of the Advocates Act, 1961 and Chapter-II, Part VI of the Bar Council of Rules.

Section 24A of the Advocates Act provides for disqualification from enrolment inter-alia on the ground that the person is convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude.

Section 36 deals with the disciplinary powers of the Bar Council of India over the misconduct of advocates.

The SC on August 14 held advocate Bhushan guilty of contempt of court for his two tweets regarding the institution of the Supreme Court and the office of the Chief Justice of India (CJI).

In his first tweet on June 27, Bhushan had said, “When historians in future look back at the last six years to see how democracy has been destroyed in India even without a formal Emergency, they will particularly mark the role of the Supreme Court in this destruction, & more particularly the role of the last 4 CJIs.”

Likewise, the second tweet dated June 29 commented on a viral picture that showed CJI Bobde on a Harley Davidson bike. The tweet in question read: “CJI rides a 50 lakh motorcycle belonging to a BJP leader at Raj Bhavan, Nagpur, without a mask or helmet, at a time when he keeps the SC in Lockdown mode denying citizens their fundamental right to access Justice!”

A three-judge bench led by Justice Mishra held that the tweets were an attempt to shake the very foundation of constitutional democracy and hence must be dealt with an ‘iron hand’.

The bench added that if the attack is not dealt with, with a requisite degree of firmness, then it may affect India’s national honour and it’s prestige in the comity of nations.

The Court on August 31 handed down the punishment to Bhushan by imposing a fine Rs. 1, failing which he would be sentenced to 3 months in jail and be debarred from practicing in the apex court for 3 years.

Bhushan recently filed a review petition against the judgment holding him guilty of contempt. The same is pending consideration of the Court. He deposited Rs.1/- as fine in compliance with the Court order earlier this month.

The article was originally published in The Leaflet.