In a moment that sparked courtroom reflection and mild humour, Supreme Court Justice PV Sanjay Kumar on Wednesday advised a junior lawyer to avoid disclosing that a senior counsel was occupied in a High Court matter during a Supreme Court hearing.
The observation came during a hearing when the assisting advocate requested a pass over, stating that the lead counsel was yet to arrive as he was still arguing before a High Court. This prompted Justice Kumar to offer a candid—if tongue-in-cheek—lesson on courtroom strategy.
“You must not be so honest,” Justice Kumar remarked. “Learn that in the future, you should never say in the Supreme Court that your senior is busy in the High Court. Our egos are very fragile. You don’t want to offend the ego of the judge. Your case will go out. Directly. Not on merits. Do not tell things like this. Small white lies are permitted.”
Justice Vikram Nath, also on the Bench, echoed the sentiment and added, “Your senior should have taught you these things.”
Initially, the Court agreed to pass over the matter. However, when the matter was called again later, the junior counsel reiterated that the senior advocate was still busy in the High Court. The Court ultimately adjourned the case to July 14.
The exchange, though made partly in jest, highlighted the unspoken courtroom etiquette and hierarchy that junior lawyers must learn to navigate, especially when dealing with simultaneous listings across courts.
