Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday took exception to “petty politicians” of the Shiv Sena (UBT) accusing the court of delaying adjudication of petitions challenging non-disqualification of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Election Commission’s decision to declare them as the real ‘Shiv Sena’ and said it is the UBT camp’s counsel who had sought adjournment many a time.Advocate Rohit Sharma, acting as per the instructions in the cause-list of the SC, requested a bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi to fix a date for final hearing on the three-year-old petition by Uddhav Thackeray against Eknath Shinde, who rebelled with other Sena legislators and formed a govt with the BJP, as well as a two-year-old petition challenging the Speaker’s order rejecting petitions seeking disqualification of the rebel Sena MLAs.Though the bench accepted Sharma’s request and assured that the “Shiv Sena matters” would be taken up for final hearing soon, the CJI said, “Stop your people from going to the media and accuse the SC of delaying adjudication of the petitions. On one hand you seek adjournment of hearing and on the other you accuse the SC of delay. These irresponsible statements should not be made.”“I am issuing a warning. I am not going to tolerate these things. Why do these petty politicians keep making accusations against SC,” the CJI asked. Senior advocate Devadatt Kamat said he was ready to argue the case on Friday itself or any day suitable to the court. The CJI said, “The court often sits much beyond 4 pm to hear cases. It is not as if we are sitting idle. All cases cannot be heard in a single day.” Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi said these comments, be it from any party, should not have been made as the courts are working beyond the scheduled court time.
