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Court Cuts: When two benches ran out of patience with Mathews J Nedumpara in one day

Maverick lawyer from Mumbai, Mathews J Nedumpara, had two of his writ petitions listed before two different benches at courts 3 and 4 on Wednesday, 13 April.

But the petitions were so similar in tone and tenor, that both benches had a long arguments with him, before dismissing them.

The one at court 3 sought a direction from the two-judge bench of justices JS Khehar and C Nagappan, to declare the judgment in the NJAC case and the collegium system unconstitutional and void.

The one at court 4 sought the court’s direction to abolish the system of senior advocates.

At court no 4, which came up first in the before noon, Justice Dipak Misra lost his cool when Nedumpara began to argue, even though he had engaged his counsel, who was on his legs. Justice Misra asked Nedumpara to disengage his counsel, before arguing himself.

When both did not listen, Justice Misra asked them to come back at noon, and tell the bench whether he had disengaged his counsel or not. When Nedumpara appeared to give a lecture, Justice Misra asked him not to.

Nedumpara then returned at 12, spoke about how people think speaking good English will make them eminent. He had a dig at the system that promotes only those who speak good and fluent English as senior advocates.

Justice Misra then talked about his own humble background of studying in a Oriya medium school in a village, and said it had never been a handicap, as he imagines.

Justice Shiva Kirti Singh, who was sitting with Justice Misra, told Nedumpara that there were limitations in all spheres of life and that we can’t change the system overnight.

At court no 3, Justice JS Khehar asked Nedumpara whether he had read the NJAC judgment, which answered all his queries. When Nedumpara persisted, Justice Khehar asked whether he would argue addressing the bench, instead of looking at the media persons, as he seemed to be more interested in seeing his name in print these days.

As a good Christian, you must go to the Church, Justice Khehar told Nedumpara, and that his not going to the Church is not good.

On the NJAC judgment, Justice Khehar said Nedumpara’s rights as a litigant are closed, and that he can’t file a fresh writ petition like this to agitate the same issues. “If somebody has a brainwave, should it all be raised again and again.

It is not acceptable”, Justice Khehar said. “We have heard Nedumpara for half an hour. He has not raised a single point. It is dismissed”, he said while dictating the order at 1:40 pm

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