During the frequently contentious hearings on the electoral bonds matter, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta temporarily set aside all other matters to attend to senior lawyer Kapil Sibal’s health.
Mr. Mehta, testifying on behalf of the Centre before Justice Chandrachud’s constitution bench on Thursday, the third day of the hearings, paused, turned around, and asked where Mr. Sibal was. When Justice Chandrachud asked Mr. Mehta what had transpired, he claimed it was personal and unrelated to the hearing. Mr. Mehta had received a message from Mr. Sibal’s team, who is representing the petitioners.
A short while later, Mr. Sibal entered the courtroom as the hearing got back underway. At that point, Mr. Mehta informed the court that Mr. Sibal was feeling under the weather and gave the senior lawyer access to his chambers so he could participate in the hearing virtually. He promised to see to it that Mr. Sibal had tea and some snacks set up as well.
In addition, the Chief Justice intervened, stating that Mr. Sibal might participate via video link while seated in the Supreme Court conference room. Choosing to accept Justice Chandrachud’s offer, the senior lawyer attended the hearing from the conference room till lunch.
After lunch, Mr. Sibal made his way back to the courtroom, and he and Mr. Mehta had transformed into their fierce, professional selves once again. In fact, there was an interesting exchange regarding political ties between the two solicitors in the latter portion of the day’s hearing.
Mr. Mehta made the speculative statement that someone who donates to the Congress wouldn’t want the BJP to know about it.
“As an example, if it is convenient for Mr Sibal, suppose that, as a contractor, I donate to the Congress party. I wouldn’t want the BJP to know because it could form a government in the coming days,” Mr Mehta said.
“It appears that my learned friend has forgotten that I am no longer a member of the Congress party,” Mr. Sibal said.
The Solicitor General then stated that Mr. Sibal had attended in court on behalf of a Madhya Pradeshi Congress leader. Mr. Sibal instantly shot back that even while Mr. Mehta was speaking on behalf of the government, he was not necessarily a BJP supporter.
Mr. Sibal retorted, “So I am not either,” to which Mr. Mehta replied, “Absolutely not.”
