The Supreme Court declined an urgent hearing on a petition seeking action against the Cockroach Janta Party
May 25, 2026: Supreme Court of India on Monday refused to grant an urgent hearing on a petition seeking action against the Cockroach Janta Party, saying the matter would be taken up in the “due course of time.” Chief Justice Surya Kant was hearing a request for an out-of-turn listing of the plea filed by advocate Raja Chaudhary. The petition sought action against the CJP and individuals allegedly involved in commercially exploiting remarks made during Supreme Court proceedings.
The bench, also comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, observed that there was “no grave urgency” in the matter. During the hearing, advocate NK Goswami argued that the court’s remarks had been distorted despite the clarification issued by the Chief Justice. The bench responded by asking him not to take the issue “so sentimentally.” The petition also sought a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into fake advocates, fraudulent law degrees and alleged deterioration of professional standards in the legal profession.
The controversy stems from remarks made by the CJI on May 15 regarding individuals entering professions with fake degrees, during which he used terms like “cockroaches” and “parasites.” The following day, the Chief Justice clarified that his comments were directed only at people using fake qualifications and not at the country’s youth. The petition argued that selective and sensational use of courtroom observations on social media risks turning judicial proceedings into “commercially amplified outrage campaigns.” It also referred to claims by Bar Council of India chairman Manan Kumar Mishra alleging that a significant percentage of individuals practising law with black coats and bands are fake advocates.