In Brief
A senior advocate and former bar association president challenged the permanent withdrawal of his senior counsel designation by the Gujarat High Court, following serious allegations he made against judges in 2020 and his circulation of a defamatory letter. The Supreme Court held that while the designation is a privilege (not a right) and the withdrawal was justified by his misconduct, it exercised extraordinary powers under Article 142 to temporarily restore the designation for two years from 1 January 2022. The High Court will decide on permanent restoration based on the petitioner's conduct during this period, with the threat of re-withdrawal if he breaches the undertakings."
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