‘All parties are treated equally in SC’, CJI says in Rahul Gandhi case
The exchange happened during an oral mentioning by Mr. Bhatia to de-tag Mr. Gandhi’s plea against criminal proceedings arising from his alleged remarks concerning the Army and the Chinese attack in the context of the 2020 Galwan border clash
On September 9, 2026, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant emphasized that "all parties are treated equally" in the Supreme Court following a heated exchange during a defamation case against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Senior advocate and BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia argued that the matter was repeatedly adjourned, attributing the delay to the "person mentioned" and alleging that Rahul Gandhi's side was engaging in "dilatory tactics" to avoid a hearing.
Bhatia suggested that Gandhi should not be treated like a "VVIP." However, Gandhi's counsel, Advocate Prasanna S., strongly objected to these claims, asserting that such statements should not be permitted in court. The Chief Justice then intervened, firmly stating that "all parties are treated equally here." The judge advised Bhatia to submit an application for de-tagging the case.
The matter originated from a complaint filed by retired Border Roads Organisation (BRO) officer Uday Shankar Shrivastava in August 2023, leading to a summons against Gandhi in February 2025. Gandhi's appeal to quash the summons was dismissed by the Allahabad High Court in May 2025, prompting him to seek a special leave petition in the Supreme Court.
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