NEW DELHI : On Monday, the Supreme Court ordered the Attorney General R Venkata Ramani and the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to investigate Zahoor Ahmad Bhat’s suspension following his appearance before the Supreme Court regarding the repeal of Article 370. Senior Attorney Kapil Sibal brought up the matter before a five-judge Constitution bench presided over by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud to hear the petitions contesting the alterations made to Article 370. On August 23, Bhat, a lawyer, came before the Supreme Court to present the petitioners’ case. Justices S K Kaul, Sanjeev Khanna, B R Gavai, and Surya Kant were also on the bench when Sibal informed them that Bhat had been suspended a day after making an appearance before the Supreme Court and that the August 25 order suspending him also made reference to that suspension. SG “What is reported in the newspaper may not be the whole truth,” Mehta remarked. “It is not just from the newspaper,” Sibal retorted. I have the actual order, dated August 25, with me. Mehta stated, “There are other difficulties as well. He said he will present all information to the court when he appears in other courts.Then he ought to have been suspended sooner, Sibal argued. why at this time? That is unfair. This is not how our democracy ought to operate. Attorney General (AG) R Venkataramani was then informed by the Chief Justice, “Just look what has transpired. Anyone who shows up at this court is put on suspension. Do some research on it. Speak to the Lieutenant Governor, please. If there is something distinct from this, the Chief Justice said, “that’s different,” and he questioned, “but why in such close succession to appearance before us?” Mehta, though, argued that such activities couldn’t be seen as payback. The close proximity between the arguments and the order was mentioned by Justice Gavai, to which Mehta responded, “The timing is clearly not right. I stoop down.”Timing and mention of this element. I’m not sure. I am not aware of the order. However, if there is a reference to his presence here, there may be a small issue, said Justice Kaul. The AG and SG promised to look into the situation.
