Karnataka lawyer barred from entering SC precincts

 Chief Justice of India P Sathasivam has barred the entry of an advocate from Karnataka into the Supreme Court precincts for six months relying upon recommendation of a sexual harassment committee.

The order, debarring advocate C S Nagesh, was passed on March 15 after considering the inquiry report submitted by internal Sub-Committee, Gender Sensitisation and Internal Complaints Committee (GSICC), said a circular released by the Supreme Court registrar Rachna Gupta.

An inquiry was conducted under the Gender Sensitisation and Sexual Harassment of Women at the Supreme Court of India (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Regulations, 2013, against the advocate on a sexual harassment complaint.

The Gender Sensitisation and Internal Complaints Committee has on March 4 made a report favouring action against him.

“Having considered the report, recommending debarring the entry of Nagesh, into the Supreme Court precincts for a specified period extending upto a maximum period of one year and/or any other orders, as deemed fit, I am of the view that, in the first instance; six months’ bar on entry into the Supreme Court precincts would suffice, considering the fact that, except the instant case, no other incident of this nature relating to Nagesh has been reported.

Deterrent

This penalty, in my view, would not only allow him to redeem himself but also would operate as a deterrent against him,” the CJI has said.

On being contacted for his reaction, the advocate referred to his Facebook account and said that his incident was not so important. He also said that he had filed his response to the chief justice of India.