KOLKATA: The Calcutta high court‘s circuit bench at Jalpaiguri took exception to the use of a “colonial era expression” by a lawyer while making a submission.
A division bench of justices Harish Tandon and Apurba Sinha Ray was hearing a petition on Monday, when the lawyer representing one of the parties started his submission by saying, “I beg to appear for the appellant.”
At this, Justice Harish Tandon interjected, saying 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,” he said.
The judge 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 reiterated, before the bench proceeded with the hearing.