Chief Justice Rebukes Lawyer for Addressing Justice Varma by Surname Only in Supreme Court

Chief Justice of India BR Gavai took exception on Monday when one of the advocates, advocate Mathews J Nedumpara addressed Justice Yashwant Varma, who is engulfed in the controversy of cash note recovery at their official residence, as only Varma.

Chief Justice of India Gavai explained that Justice Varma remains a Judge of the High Court and therefore, he must be called a Justice.

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Nedumpara was referring to the urgent listing of a writ petition filed by him to seek registration of FIR against Justice Varma. It is the third writ petition, said Nedumpara.

"You want it to be dismissed right now?" CJI Gavai asked him.

"It is impossible to be dismissed. FIR has to be registered. Now Varma seems to be asking for that only. There has to be an FIR, an investigation," Nedumpara replied, referring to the writ petition filed by Justice Varma himself challenging the in-house proceedings.

CJI subsequently took exception of Nedumpara referring to the judge by name only as "Varma."

"Is he your friend? He is still Justice Verma. How do you address him? Have some decorum. You are referring to a learned judge. He is still a judge of the Court," CJI said.

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"I don't think that greatness can apply to him. Matter has to be listed," Nedumpara replied. "Don't dictate to the Court," CJI shot back.

In March, Nedumpara filed the first writ petition in the Supreme Court which was dismissed by the court itself the same month noting that the in-house inquiry proceedings were underway. Later he moved another writ petition when the report of the in-house inquiry was transferred by the then CJI Sanjiv Khanna to the Prime Minister and President.

The Supreme Court junked the said writ petition in May and directed Nedumpara to work in the first place through the Central Government authorities and obtain the FIR.

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