New Delhi: In an exclusive interview with Lawstreet Journal, former Law Minister and senior advocate Kapil Sibal refuted allegations that he intends to "capture" the judiciary.
Responding to SCBA President Adish Aggarwala's statement, which suggested that Sibal announced his candidacy for President of the Supreme Court Bar Association this year to capture the judiciary, Sibal remarked, "Do you think anyone can capture the judiciary? I don't think so."
However, last year, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal accused the government of attempting to "capture" the judiciary, asserting that it was making concerted efforts to create a situation in which the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC), in "another avatar," might be tested in the Supreme Court once again.
Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibals nomination for the Presidency of SCBA has also triggered a debate about whether a politician should contest and hold the presidentship of the SCBA.
However, in a statement, Sibal said he intends to ensure that politics is not brought into the courtroom. Our ideology is the Constitution of India to uphold the rule of law and to protect citizens from excesses of the State. Thats what a lawyer is for, right?
For the last three years people have been asking me to come back to SCBA, Sibal said adding that the situation of the country is soit needs a strong Supreme Court Bar Association.
The SCBA elections are scheduled for May 16 and the contenders for the top post are incumbent president Adish Aggarwala, vice president Pradeep Rai and senior advocate Priya Hingorani, among others. Sibal, who completed 50 years at the Bar last year, has been the president of SCBA thrice in the past 1995-1996; 1997-1998 and 2001-2002 before becoming a Union minister in the UPA government. Votes will be counted on May 18, Saturday.
Criticism of PMLA is politically motivated?
In March, during the bail hearing of BRS leader K Kavitha, arrested by the ED in the Delhi excise policy case, Sibal had told the Supreme Court that when the history of this court will be written, this will not be a golden period.
I expressed my personal views on the judgment, the statement is not connected to politics, Sibal said adding that he does not question the Judiciary. I am not in any political party now, protecting the countrys Constitution is our first duty as an advocate, there is no other ideology, he further added.
While speaking on PMLA, Sibal said his opposition is not about the law itself but misuse of it.
Notably, in 2022, former Union Minister Kapil Sibal quit the Congress Party while filing nomination for the coming Rajya Sabha elections as an independent candidate, supported by the Samajwadi Party (SP).
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