30 september 2024 : Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud reprimanded a lawyer on Monday for repeatedly using the term “yeah” during his arguments in the Supreme Court. In a pointed criticism, the Chief Justice stated he was “allergic” to the informal term.
CJI Chandrachud emphasized that the courtroom is not a coffee shop, instructing the lawyer to use “yes” instead of “yeah.” He remarked, “Don’t say ‘yeah yeah yeah.’ Say ‘Yes.’ This is not a coffee shop. This is a court. I am a little allergic to people saying ‘yeah.’ This cannot be allowed,” as reported by India Today.
The lawyer was arguing about what he considered the wrongful dismissal of a plea by former Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, demanding an investigation against Gogoi, who is currently a Rajya Sabha MP.
CJI Chandrachud questioned the validity of filing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) with a judge as a respondent, to which the petitioner responded, “Yeah, yeah, the then CJI Ranjan Gogoi. I was asked to file a curative.”
This comment triggered CJI Chandrachud’s frustration, as he pointed out that Justice Gogoi was a former Supreme Court judge and such a petition could not be directed against him. The Chief Justice also mentioned that Justice Gogoi had dismissed the plea based on the statement that the petitioner claimed was illegal and concluded that the petitioner was not at fault. He later instructed the petitioner to remove Justice Gogoi’s name from the proceedings.
Earlier this month, CJI Chandrachud had also reprimanded a senior counsel who sought the court’s directive to remove Mamata Banerjee from her position as West Bengal Chief Minister, alleging her negligence in handling the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.
