New Delhi: Last year, the Punjab and Haryana High Court collegium, headed by then-chief justice Krishna Murari, recommended the name of advocate Pratap Singh for elevation to the bench of the high court
Within hours, an old video showing a purportedly high-spirited Singh swinging to the tune of the hit 1980s Bollywood number ‘I am a disco dancer’, with a glass in his hand, went viral on WhatsApp groups.
Now, it appears, the Modi government has also seen the video, and has recommended to the Supreme Court collegium not to elevate Singh to the bench.
Sources in the Supreme Court told ThePrint that the central government has said in its recommendation that Singh doesn’t have the necessary credentials to become a judge of the high court. The central government’s note, it is learnt, also refers to the video, as well as the fact that there were a couple of criminal cases registered against him when he was a student. Singh was later acquitted in those cases.
Singh told ThePrint that such a video was being circulated but denied he was the person dancing in it.
“The video that is being flashed with my name… It is only being done to tarnish my image, to target me. It (the video) is not mine,” he said.
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Who is Pratap Singh?
Pratap Singh is a former chairman of the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana, and is currently a member of the Bar Council of India, the statutory regulatory and disciplinary body of lawyers in the country.
Legal sources said the purported video is from an event organised in the auditorium of the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana, and lawyers are seen dancing on stage.
What happens now?
Sources told ThePrint that the Supreme Court collegium will take a call on Singh’s elevation when it meets to discuss the names. It is up to the Supreme Court collegium whether to accept the government’s view or not.
It is also learnt that Singh’s isn’t the only name that hasn’t found favour with the government. The Union Ministry of Law and Justice has cleared the names of Rajesh Bhardwaj, Pankaj Jain and Hemant Bassi, but red-flagged the name of advocate Sant Pal Singh Sidhu, which was also recommended by the high court collegium last year. But the government says Sidhu doesn’t merit an appointment to the HC bench.
Meanwhile, as first reported by ThePrint, the Narendra Modi government is also learnt to have communicated to the SC collegium that it wants a re-think on the candidature of lawyer Kamal Sehgal, whose name was cleared by the SC collegium last year but not processed by the Centre. Sehgal is the brother of senior Uttar Pradesh cadre IAS officer Navneet Sehgal.
With inputs from Apoorva Mandhani
Also read: Of SC’s 4 new judges, one junked plea against Yogi and another brought CJI under RTI
Really shocked
I totally condemn this reason. Common man has no rights now?
I totally condemn this message.
What is this?
What nonsense is this
Exactly, I mean I read all the comments and I can so relate my feeling right now.
This is very wrong decision by Modi Government.
Yeh hai hamara akhand Hindu Rashtra
Pure non sense. D ‘necessary credentials’ 4 rejecting a case can’t b dt a candidate should not dance/sing/dine or b a part of any celebrtns. And what about d officials who danced publicly in marriages like Pratap n yet appointed n held d office for numbr of yrs nd retired. Govt is dared 2 stop their superanuated benefits 2 show parity n set precedent in, atleast, judiciary if rejecting case in hand. Else, it shud reject ds ‘necsry crdntl’ criterion itself.
What a joke. Clearly those uneducated imbeciles sitting in the parliament know more about ‘necessary credentials of a Judge’ than the bar or HC’s collegium.
Independence of judiciary, apparently.
But we know there is no bar on lawyers dancing to become judges, the dance music has to be sarkari…
If you want to deny something to someone…you can always discover other reasons if you can’t find a rational one. This selection process is opaque.
It’s irrational to deny him elevation on the ground that he danced at a Bar Association function. Sheer hypocrisy.
Seriously? Is dancing that grave a matter?
Or jo BJP chunaav prachaar me bhad chad kar bhaag lete rhe hai vakil unke baare me kya vichar hai..
Bhangra dancer would have been better or a wall flower? Shows his grass root personality… Imho. This cannot even be an inter alia reason.
It is so natural about enjoyment in social life
I am surprised that how can it be a valid reason for not recommending his name.
There is nothing adverse against him, so govt took a frivolous and foolish stand.
It’s wrong decision by government
What is wrong in picture. That means judge have no rights to enjoy our time.
भाई family function मे कौन dance नही करता, ये कोई जुर्म है क्या?
Shame on Cheap mentality @Modi ji
अगर select नही करना तो reject का कोई genuine reason देते
Pathetic thinking… The past celebrations of the Judge will also be evaluated and future be restricted. Nonsense . Then how Modi ji became PM.
I condemn this action, the worthy person should be awarded with what he deserves.
According to this logic, if I am worthy to be a Judge someday? Will my name not be considered for the same?
I have full faith in SUPREME COURT OF INDIA. THEY WILL NEVER CONSIDER THIS STUPID DECISION. Many Supreme Court Judges drink too. I have seen them dancing on family functions. They will never consider such stupid suggestions. Anyone can dance, this is a open country.
There are criminals who dance and kill people and are also the big names in parliament now. Seriously, we need to work on our logics,
I think now Modi government will bring regulation that in this country no common man can drink and dance.
– Make a policy that no HC & Supreme Court Judge can drink and dance
– Make a policy for Army Officials, IP, IAS, IPS, IG and all other offices where people drink and dance.
Those people should be terminated immediately. This is not what I voted for this government, take right decisions…. Don’t steal the chance from who is worthy.
Wrong decision, I condemn it.
Is dancing a violation of his personal Fundamental rights? Sometimes I completely fail to understand what people exactly want.
The logical corollary would be to require a declaration before any judicial appointment
–
That the deponent has never even tasted alcohal
Or danced on any occasion what so ever neither will do so in his/ her life in future.
May be even all serving officials should also be required to make such a declaration failing which their tenure should be terminated.
A man should be from the masses. A leader must understand what the middle class culture should be. We need more people to enjoy life like him. This news is total crap.
Partap Ji is a very honest person, with no allegations against him. I have never seen such honest person ever in my life. This news cannot be true. He is total worthy of being a HC Judge. I have full faith in the Supreme Court. They will take the right decision.
A leader must stay with the masses. Like Lord Rama, Lord Hanuman. I am a RSS person, but I condemn this act. If my government is rejecting someone for dancing, I have been dancing almost the entire last decade on celebration of several victories for BJP. Many of my colleagues dance too. I’m with BJP, and I completely support this person to be worthy of the position of HC Judge. Dancing is a lively part, all politician dance, all big people celebrate.
Normal people can enjoy life being a normal person only, the British culture is over and it’s time to give some time for our Indian culture too. Dancing and celebration is a religious culture, we have many gods and goddess.
This “is next to impossible”, what are the standards of Indian government now? Also can media put up a video like this online?
I hope the decision of the collegium says in favour of worthiness. If you’re worthy, you must get it. The leader of future must be the people who enjoy life.
This man has won my heart, I don’t know who he is. But the way this man is happy and living his life. That’s the spirit one must not leave. Many of us, don’t know what we are doing with our life. We always need to stay happy and cherish the moments of life. I have gone across many comments. And I feel the same, now government have things for happily dancing against the common man? How will things work like this, highly criticise this. This person is a hero! Whoever is reading my comment, remember to live your life happily. You never know when it ends, recently Actors like Rishi Kapoor and Irfan Khan has left us. They use to be the “Disco- Dancer” too.
They have lived happily. This is complete nonsense, I don’t believe on this, and judiciary must take a decision conserving the credentials of this person and not just on dance video.
So why the person is not being elevated? Because the Modi and stupid RSS workers were not included to dance with him? Or he didn’t bribe them? This government decision has opened my eyes, this decision must totally be condemned. I have full faith in the decision of Supreme Court that, they will definitely not reject a common mans application who is totally worthy of that position. Judiciary must not lose faith from this country, because government will come and go. But judiciary stays for the people.
What the hell? I am glad I left India way back. This country is shit! You need to learn a lot of things from western culture. In India Modi Ji can dance, his cabinet minister (being criminal, rapists, scammers) can dance too. But if a common man enjoys some personal time, this government will scrap off his name. I condemn this decision totally. This is a stupid decision. In U.S.A., Supreme Court judges enjoy cocktails, army chief make family celebration. India is turning to next dictatorship land. Modi and his cabinet is the next dictator. A common man can never rise in this country. This is a total disgrace.
Distasteful decisio
Disagree with Reader Comments.
This person should not be elevated any further.
I am shocked to see the way government is thinking … dancing a criteria to select a candidate for high court judge .. if he is seen happy on some occasion and dancing with friends is it really a crime.. shocking and and surprisingly stupid if Government has rejected his name on sole dis ground .
What nonsense is this, Complete bullshit. Now a common man cannot dance?
I am a common man, I am a law student. I am aiming to be a judge someday? so should I not dance? my friends call me in their parties and make Snapchat of me. I think that will be the reason for my candidature someday.
Dear Sir,
Lawyers are Human too, I know many supreme court judge who drinks and dance. Grow up the news standard instead of victimizing someone’s image by using the word “Disco Dancer” to take away attention. Judiciary is completely different from Legislation. Don’t try to mix your dirty politics and defame some common man. If someone can be defamed just for dancing like this no one is the same in this country. Today I am ashamed of the standard of Indian Media. Start writing something which makes sense.
In , (1998) 2 SCC 72, Judges have been described as ‘hermits’, further reminding that, “they have to live and behave like hermits, who have no desire or aspiration, having shed it through penance. Their mission is to supply light and not heat”.
If this news is true, then it’s a complete government failure. How can a confidential government report leak?
What really? what are the standards of the judiciary now? You want to reject the person because he danced? I don’t know how credible this news is, but if this is the truth, then I must say, the common man in the country can never rise.
Mr. pratap ji, the man from our small village dubal. his father was a school teacher and his brother is a farmer. he got so far, that today his name is nominated as high court judge. It’s a respect for our entire village, to be there at this place. Many obstructions will come and go, govt. don’t want to see a man coming from a village background to rise.
A Judge cannot dance? See this is the problem with the system. A normal person cannot dance and be happy, but a rich bastard can be a drug lord king and still be the Home Minister of the Country.
India must be run by the persons who keep value for Indian spirit and ethos and have simply natural strong bond with the general masses .
Are advocates and future judges banned from drinking and dancing? Do they select judges only out of priests? Were senior advocates not caught in act in their SC chambers? They are still Party leaders. This man only danced in a party. Strange!
You can make money through corruption and criminal act but if you dance? The government is against you? WOAH!
I am shocked to see this kind of response from both the central government and the state government. I dance with my family too! So what? If I deserve to be someone? Will they reject me because I danced? Lol, now Dancing is a crime in India?
Well, if this news is true. Then I will lose my faith from the Judiciary. Judiciary must not include stupid politics while taking such decisions. Stop those people, who rape, murder, and take a bribe. Not those, who dance!