Attorney General for India R. Venkataramani has granted consent to initiate criminal contempt proceedings against advocate Rakesh Kishore, following his alleged misconduct by throwing shoe at CJI during proceedings before the Supreme Court of India.
The consent was issued under Section 15(1)(b) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, and addressed to Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Vikas Singh.
In a strongly worded letter, the Attorney General observed that the conduct of Mr. Kishore amounted to criminal contempt of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, falling squarely within the ambit of Section 2(c) of the Act. Venkataramani wrote that Kishore’s acts and utterances were “scandalous” and calculated to demean the majesty and authority of the Court.
“Such behaviour strikes at the very foundation of the justice delivery system and has the clear tendency to lower public confidence in the institution of the judiciary, and more so of the highest Court,” the Attorney General noted.
The incident reportedly involved an attempt by Mr. Kishore to throw a shoe during court proceedings, an act which the Attorney General described as a grave affront to the dignity of the Court and the rule of law. The AG stated unequivocally that “no person can have any reason whatsoever to scandalise the Court,” emphasizing that throwing or attempting to throw any object at judges or shouting in court constitutes unacceptable and contemptuous conduct.
Rejecting any justification offered by Mr. Kishore, Venkataramani remarked that the reasons advanced by him “can never be in justification of such scandalous conduct.” He further noted that the advocate had shown no remorse or repentance, as evidenced by his subsequent utterances.
“From the materials placed on record, I find Mr. Rakesh Kishore has not shown any repentance as regards the conduct in question,” the letter stated.
Accordingly, the Attorney General formally granted consent for initiating criminal contempt proceedings against Mr. Kishore before the Supreme Court.
The incident has stirred significant debate within the legal fraternity, with SCBA President Vikas Singh earlier asserting that such behaviour cannot go “unnoticed” and that the matter concerns institutional integrity. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had also expressed concurrence, underscoring that the prestige of the Supreme Court must be protected.
The Supreme Court is expected to take up the matter for hearing shortly. If found guilty, Mr. Kishore could face punishment under Section 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act, which includes imprisonment up to six months or a fine up to ₹2,000, or both.
