Justice Sanjeev Khanna was sworn in as the 51st Chief Justice of India today, November 11, during a ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. His tenure began on a contentious note as he presided over his first bench alongside Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar. The bench dealt with a case concerning micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT).
The hearing took a tense turn when senior advocate Mathews Nedumpara, representing the case, critiqued the Supreme Court’s perceived favoritism towards major industrialists like Ambani and Adani, arguing that the court should equally serve common lawyers. Responding to Nedumpara’s points, Chief Justice Khanna noted that the case in question related to a decision by Justice Bela Trivedi, but Nedumpara interrupted, emphasizing the plight of countless MSMEs overshadowed by high-profile cases.
This prompted an irritated response from Chief Justice Khanna who sharply rebuked Nedumpara, stating, “We are not here to listen to your lecture. If there’s an issue, please address it in the DRT.” It’s notable that Nedumpara has a history of confrontations, having clashed with former Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud over court proceedings back in July.
In August, the bench of Justice Bela Trivedi and Justice R. Mahadevan overturned a Bombay High Court decision, ruling that banks and non-banking financial companies could classify certain MSME loan accounts as non-performing assets. Nedumpara alleges that while cases involving major industrial houses are expedited in the Supreme Court, similar cases involving smaller enterprises face delays.
After the oath, presided over by President Draupadi Murmu, Chief Justice Khanna thanked the assembled lawyers in courtroom number one, where the day’s proceedings were initiated by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who expressed hopes for a successful tenure for the new Chief Justice. The other lawyers present also extended their best wishes to Chief Justice Khanna, who assured them of considering the listed cases’ sequence raised during the day’s hearing.
