The lawyer said the Supreme Court Registry had not scrutinised his petition regarding the National Judicial Appointments Commission (File photo).Chief Justice of India Surya Kant Monday reprimanded a lawyer who contended that his petition regarding judicial appointments was not even being registered, while those of Ambani and Adani were being listed and heard.The CJI warned the counsel, Mathews J Nedumpara, “Be careful 100 times when you speak in my court.”During the mentioning hours, when matters requiring urgent hearing are brought to the notice of the CJI, Nedumpara submitted before the bench, also comprising Justice Joymalya Bagchi, that the SC Registry had not scrutinised his petition regarding the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC).The NJAC was a proposed body introduced by the 99th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2014, designed to replace the Collegium system for appointing and transferring judges to the Supreme Court and high courts.“The NJAC matter, which I mentioned earlier, the Registry has not even scrutinised so far,” he said.The CJI said, “There is no such matter” and asked him not to create unnecessary issues.Nedumpara added, “Now, Constitution benches are created for Adani, Ambani and all. It affects the court’s normal working. Unlike Ambani, these are issues concerning the public at large. We are all concerned.”Story continues below this adIncidentally, in the previous matter, the CJI had fixed the schedule for hearing an arbitration matter involving the Reliance Group, arising out of the Delhi High Court judgment in the KG basin gas migration dispute.Nedumpara’s submissions did not go well with the bench, and the CJI rebuked him sharply.“Be careful when you are talking in my court. You have seen me in Chandigarh, you have seen me in Delhi. I am just putting a word of warning to you. Be careful 100 times when you speak in my court. Don’t think that because you have been misbehaving in the past, (you) will be able to do with me,” he said.Nedumpara continued, “My Lord, did I say anything? I am just asking for (a) listing.”Story continues below this adThe CJI said, “I am just warning you. That’s all”.Nedumpara said, “I only said about the NJAC case.”The CJI responded, “Before that, you will understand at least how to (conduct) in my court.”On October 16, 2015, the Supreme Court of India declared the 99th Constitutional Amendment Act and the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Act, 2014, unconstitutional and void. The pre-existing Collegium system remained in place.Ever since, Nedumpara has repeatedly attempted to re-agitate the issue by filing petitions in the apex court, challenging the Collegium system of judicial appointments.Story continues below this adIn September 2024, the SC Registry refused to register his petition, saying the prayers sought had already been elaborately covered in a judgment dated October 16, 2015. It said the present petition, in one manner or another, replicates the issues already been “put to rest” by a detailed judgment. © The Indian Express Pvt Ltd