SC raps lawyers for unfair criticism over Covid-19 case, says it destroys institution

The Supreme Court Friday expressed deep anguish over its criticism by some lawyers for “something which was not part of its order” in the suo motu case related to framing of national policy on the Covid-19 pandemic and said “this is how institution is being destroyed”. A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde, who is demitting office as the 47th CJI, lamented imputation of motive by some senior bar members while allowing senior advocate Harish Salve to withdraw as an amicus curiae from the case after he said that he did not want it to be decided under the shadow that he was friends with Justice Bobde from “school and college days”.