Overview

• A division bench of Justices A S Supehia and R T Vachhani accepted unconditional apologies from Saman Abdul Rehman Shah and Senior Advocate Bhaskar Tanna and formally closed both suo motu contempt cases.
• Shah, who joined a June 20 hearing from his home toilet, deposited a ₹1 lakh fine and must complete 15 days of unpaid service at a Surat mental health centre.
• Tanna, whose remote access had been suspended for drinking from a beer mug during a virtual session, was reinstated after his apology led to the dismissal of contempt charges.
• The court instructed members of the Bar to ensure clients attend virtual hearings with proper attire and from appropriate locations to uphold court decorum.
• The High Court Registry’s proposal to reintroduce a virtual waiting room for online hearings is pending review by the full court.