Dave complains to CJI for being ‘muted’ at Justice Mishra’s farewell

Senior Advocate and president of the Supreme Court Bar Association Dushyant Dave has written a letter to Chief Justice of India S A Bobde on Wednesday (September 2) alleging that he was “muted” during an online farewell for Justice Arun Mishra.

Dave wrote further that he “will never again participate in any function being organised by the Supreme Court till my term is over in December.”

Dave has been a critic of Justice Mishra and defended Advocate Prashant Bhushan in the criminal contempt case against him. Dave said, “The entire episode leaves much to be desired on the part of this great Institution” and that it “was clearly an affront to the Bar and to me personally.”

He said that his intended statement at the farewell was: “On behalf of the SCBA, the EC, and Myself, I wish you Justice Mishra happiness and bliss in remainder of your long life which by all accounts will be as fruitful and rewarding as it has been. May I pray to Lord Mahabaleshwar to bless you with strength to introspect and stir up your Conscience.”

Dave wrote further in his letter to the CJI that he saw Mr. Venugopal was requested to speak. “I saw and heard him fully including as to his disappointment on punishment of Shri Prashant Bhushan,” he said.

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It is a custom with the Supreme Court that on their last working day, the outgoing judge sits with the CJI on his bench while members of the Bar convey their farewell wishes.

Justice Mishra, who retired on Wednesday, sat with the CJI and was wished by Attorney General K K Venugopal, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, and Supreme Court Advocates On Record Association (SCOARA) President Shivaji Jadhav. Though Dave too was logged in, he was not seen speaking.