Bobde wanted Khan to mediate: Lawyer

Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde, who demits office on Saturday, had reached out to actor Shah Rukh Khan to facilitate the resolution of the Ayodhya title dispute through mediation, senior advocate Vikas Singh disclosed on Friday. Speaking at the virtual farewell of the outgoing CJI, Singh revealed that justice Bobde sought his assistance in roping in Shah Rukh Khan since the lawyer knew the actor well. “he (justice Bobde) was of the firm view that Ayodhya dispute should be resolved through mediation...” Singh said.

NEW DELHI: A day before he demits office, Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde on Friday recalled his virtual court experience as he heard cases mostly through videoconferencing over his 14-month tenure, and said hearing the lawyers virtually allowed him to have digital tours of their chambers without physically visiting them.

“I can recognise the statue behind the attorney general (KK Venugopal), the jaguar chair of Vikas Singh (Supreme Court Bar Association president) , Lord Ganesha idol in the office of solicitor-general (Tushar Mehta) which is not on his desk today,” said Bobde. He added as lawyers appeared before his court, he could see hills in the backdrop of a few; painting and sculptures, and even guns and pistols, in those of others.

“There are many disadvantages of the hearings through videoconferencing but that was the need of the hour,” he said, adding that video conferencing has its own advantage. “I am happy, we all have been together in this [pandemic] period, and we will come out of it together too,” said Bobde, as he shared the bench with CJI-designate NV Ramana and justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian.