In a noteworthy session today, the Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, reprimanded a lawyer for using the colloquial term ‘yeah’ while addressing the Supreme Court, emphasizing the decorum expected in the judiciary. Chief Justice Chandrachud stated, “I am very allergic to this ‘yeah yeah’. This cannot be allowed,” asserting that the courtroom is not a casual setting like a coffee shop.
The incident occurred during a hearing involving a 2018 petition where the lawyer had unusually named the former Chief Justice of India, Justice Ranjan Gogoi, as a respondent. Chief Justice Chandrachud questioned the appropriateness of the petition, highlighting concerns about its alignment with Article 32 of the Constitution, which allows citizens to seek remedies for the violation of their fundamental rights.
As the discussion unfolded, the lawyer’s informal language seemed to distract from the gravity of his arguments, leading to a pointed correction from the Chief Justice. “This is not a coffee shop! What is this ‘yeah yeah’?” remarked Chief Justice Chandrachud, underlining the need for formal language in legal proceedings.
The lawyer attempted to defend his legal stance by referring to past decisions and actions by Justice Gogoi, who is now a Rajya Sabha MP. However, Chief Justice Chandrachud advised him against impugning a judge in such a manner and directed that Justice Gogoi’s name be removed from the petition.
