CJI Kant Likens Jobless Youth to Cockroaches in SC Hearing

In New Delhi on Friday, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant likened some unemployed youngsters to cockroaches, stating they often become media, social media, and RTI activists who attack the system, during a Supreme Court hearing where a bench reprimanded a lawyer seeking senior advocate designation.

The bench, comprising CJI Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, was hearing a petition from the lawyer challenging delays by the Delhi High Court in implementing guidelines for senior advocate designations and pressing his own claim. The judges took strong exception to the lawyer's professional conduct, including language used in his Facebook posts, and questioned whether he had other litigation to pursue.

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

The bench emphasized that senior advocate status, governed by Section 16 of the Advocates Act and Supreme Court guidelines from 2017,...