Super Supreme versus the Evil J&K Bar Association

Over the years, the Supreme Court of India has earned all manner of aprobation, for its many rescue acts. From the environment to human rights to upholding the Constitution, this Bhagwandas Rd building and its robed inmates have repeatedly shorn procedural shackles to save the day. Popular culture breeds people with similar attributes: the superhero. Bruce Wayne, millionaire playboy shirks off stereotype and Armani, slips into costume and zooms off in the Batmobile to fight criminals by night. Shy, stuttering reporter Clark Kent is actually Superman! Teenaged and confused, Peter Parker becomes Spiderman in the face of great evil.

As far as superheroes go, the Supreme Court has to be in a class of its own. Lumbering and lethargic by day, a constitutional breach tends to bring out the superhero within. As happened yesterday when the J&K sex scandal case was transferred to Chandigarh. The J&K Bar Association, true to form, used the sex scandal to whip up secessionist sentiments and issued a statement that no advocate would be permitted to defend the accused. It did not take long for the matter to come to the attention of the Supreme Court, clearly infuriated with a denial of the basic right to a fair trial. Green muscles ripping through clothing, eyes aflame, the Court did a repeat of the Best Bakery scenario, where the case was transferred for retrial to Maharashtra, resulting in a conviction.

Be afraid. Be very afraid.