Gujarat High Court Advocates' Association disowns AG's apology to Chief Justice over spat with Bar President

The Gujarat High Court Advocates' Association (GHCAA) on Wednesday disapproved the manner in which Advocate General Kamal Trivedi and a few Senior Counsel tendered apology to Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal after a heated exchange occurred between the judge and GHCAA President Brijesh J Trivedi..The contentious incident saw Brijesh Trivedi accusing the Chief Justice of being an 'overspeaking judge' who does not allow lawyers to complete their arguments.The Chief Justice in turn accused Trivedi of attempting to browbeat the Court.On Monday, the Advocate General along with a group of senior advocates approached the Chief Justice-led bench and expressed regret over the incident involving Brijesh Trivedi. However, a group of lawyers took exception to the move, alleging that the AG and the senior advocates who spoke to the Chief Justice on Monday had not spoken to members of the Bar to assess their collective stand..In an Extraordinary General Body Meeting (EGM) called today by the GHCAA, the Advocate General and the other Senior Counsel clarified that their statements were merely their personal views and not those of the Bar.The resolution passed by the GHCAA stated that the Bar does not approve of the interaction. "It has been clarified by the learned Advocate General and others present in the 1st Court (Chief Justice's Court) that the representation made on 20.01.2025 at 11:am, was their personal view and not that of the Bar. The Hence, the bar does not approve the same," the GHCAA resolution reads. .It was also resolved that in the future, anyone wishing to make a representation on behalf of the Bar has to receive the approval of the GHCAA. "The Bar unanimously resolves that in the future no one will represent the Bar without authority conferred by way of resolution of managing committee or general body," the resolution states. .The incident in question took place on January 17 when Trivedi criticised the Chief Justice saying that she never allows lawyers to complete arguments.He also took exception to the Chief Justice "looking elsewhere" while he was arguing, when she rested her head against the chair while looking up. He further urged the Bench to adjourn the matter and place the case before another Bench."Your ladyship is looking somewhere at the sky, this has never happened in this Hon'ble Court in 65 years. My request is to keep it after two weeks," he said.The bar president eventually left the Court but not before accusing the Chief Justice of being an "overspeaking judge" (alluding to a quote by Lord Francis Bacon) whom every lawyer had been "tolerating."The Court later criticised the Bar President's conduct in an order passed the same day in the matter. The Court stated that Trivedi made irrelevant submissions and refused to let the Bench proceed on hearing the case on merits after the Court expressed its disinclination to adjourn the matter."The conduct demonstrated by Mr. Brijesh Trivedi shows his utter disrespect towards the institution and his attitude which is not only unworthy of becoming an elected President of the Advocates’ Association but also unbecoming of an Advocate of the highest Court of the State," the January 17 order said..On January 20, the Advocate General and some senior lawyers of the Gujarat High Court assembled before the Chief Justice-led bench to clarify the Bar's views on the heated exchange.Addressing the bench the AG said,"Dignity and decorum of this august institution should be maintained at any cost. Secondly, administration of justice should be protected from being maligned. Thirdly, there should be a mutual cohesive atmosphere, mutual respect, and the coordination between the Bar and the Bench. I sincerely feel that the lawyers should not run down the honourable court, nor should lawyers be run down unnecessarily. And the incident which had happened on Friday, in my view, that should not have happened. Perhaps, we should try to take care to see that recurrence of such an incident doesn't take place."He added that the Gujarat High Court has not witnessed such an incident in its history of over 60 years.Chief Justice Agarwal replied by thanking the senior lawyers for making this clarification."I am so grateful for all of you that you have recognised (that) all efforts should be that the institution should not be put down," she added.The GHCAA then called an EGM today before disowning the statement of AG and other seniors.