The Delhi High Court criticised a senior counsel for demonstrating protest in the courtroom. On Monday, Mr R.K. Saini, a senior counsel, appeared before the Bench comprising Justice Nitin Wasdeo Sambre and Justice Anish Dayal. He was representing the petitioner, Mr Nand Kishore, in a contempt of court matter and a related writ petition filed by the petitioner.
Symbolic protest in the court room
The Bench issued an order on 1 December 2025, in which the incident was highlighted. The order stated that Counsel for the petitioner, Mr R.K. Saini, who has over 25 years of experience in the bar, entered the courtroom with red stickfast tape on his lips.
At the outset, the Court heard Mr Sanjay Jain, senior counsel representing the Government of NCT of Delhi, in continuation of its earlier order where it had indicated its intention to initiate contempt proceedings against senior State Government officers.
Also Read | Calcutta High Court orders reinstatement of 32,000 teachers, overturns termination in TET scam
During the hearing, Mr Jain informed the Court that the State Government had reconsidered the proposal and had made a fresh written offer to the petitioner. This offer was handed over to Mr Saini, and its contents were explained to both the Court and the petitioner’s side.
When asked about the tape on his lips, Mr Saini removed it. The Court initially assumed it was due to an injury, but on inquiry, Mr Saini stated that in the previous two hearings, he had been stopped mid-argument, and the tape was meant to symbolise that he had been silenced.
The order also noted the reason behind silencing Mr Saini and stated, “The aforesaid conduct of Mr Saini warrants us to place on record that the arguments canvassed by Mr Saini on last couple of occasions before this Court were getting too lengthy and repetitive, and this Court upon appreciating the case of petitioner requested Mr Saini to stop from arguing further, so that we could have the response of the counsel for the other side."
Expressing its displeasure, the Bench underscored in the order, "In this context, conduct of Mr Saini, as demonstrated today in the Court, is completely in poor taste and unexpected of a lawyer of the stature of Mr Saini who, in our understanding, has standing of more than 25 years,” the Court recorded in its order."
The Court noted that it could have passed appropriate orders against Mr Saini for his conduct. However, considering his years of standing at the Bar, it chose not to do so. The Court nevertheless recorded its strong displeasure at what it described as "the unbecoming and unbefitting conduct" of Advocate R.K. Saini.
