Jobless Are Like Cockroaches, Says CJI

NEW DELHI: Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Friday likened some unemployed youngsters to “cockroaches”, saying they go on to become media, social media and RTI activists and start attacking the system.

The observation came while a two-judge bench comprising CJI Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi was pulling up a lawyer for “pursuing” designation as a senior advocate.

“There are already parasites of society who attack the system and you want to join hands with them? There are youngsters like cockroaches who do not get any employment or have any place in the profession. Some of them become media, social media, RTI activists and other activists and they start attacking everyone,” CJI Kant said.

“The entire world may be eligible to become senior advocate, but at least you are not entitled,” the top court told the petitioner-lawyer.

CJI Kant observed that if the Delhi High Court conferred senior advocate designation on the petitioner, the apex court would set it aside after examining his professional conduct.

The CJI also referred to the kind of language allegedly used by the petitioner on Facebook. The top court asked the petitioner whether he had any other litigation.

“Is this the conduct of a person who seeks to be designated as a senior advocate?” the bench asked.

The bench said senior advocate designation is something conferred on a person and is not meant to be pursued.

“You are pursuing it. Does it look proper?” the top court said, asking whether the designation of senior advocate was a status symbol to be kept ornamentally.

The bench also observed that it wanted to ask the CBI to verify the degrees of many of those wearing black robes, saying there were serious doubts over the genuineness of their degrees.

It said the Bar Council of India would not act on the issue as they “need their votes”.

The petitioner later apologised and sought permission to withdraw the petition, which the top court allowed.