Kolkata: A division bench of the Calcutta High Court circuit bench at Jalpaiguri took exception to a lawyer’s submission, stating, “I beg to appear for the appellant”.
Justice Harish Tandon held that the use of “such language was a hangover of the colonial era that should be shed by now”. “Why do you people use the word, ‘begging’? This colonial expression has gone.We are independent,” Justice Tandon said.
He told the counsel that there was no need to beg. “You have a constitutional and statutory right to represent. You can say you are appearing for the appellant. Why do you have to beg?” Justice Tandon said.
The counsel said, “I stand corrected.”
“That is a colonial mindset,” Justice Tandon said while the division bench of Justice Tandon and Justice Apurba Sinha Ray was hearing a petition on Monday.