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Synopsis

Recently, a video clip has come to light capturing a moment where a law student seated in the visitor's gallery inside the courtroom, presided over by Justice Rohit Arya at Madhya Pradesh High Court, Gwalior Bench, was prevented from consuming water from his personal bottle.

The judge, seemingly irked by the audacity of a student daring to take a sip of water from his own bottle, promptly questioned him. The student, situated inconspicuously at the back of the courtroom, faced the judge's interrogation regarding his identity and actions.

The judge inquired as to who he was and from where he had come from. Upon learning that the student hailed from the esteemed National Law University, Patiala, attending the court for the first time as part of his internship, Justice Arya admonished him for what he deemed a breach of courtroom etiquette.

The judge asked him whether he was unaware of the basic manners of sitting inside a courtroom. 

While declaring that his courtroom was not a cafeteria, Justice Arya said that he had told the court attendees many times before that they could not have water or coffee inside his courtroom. 

"You cannot just open your bottle and drink water here. If you need to do so, go outside and have your water," he said.

The student, taken aback, offered a hasty apology in response to the judge's reprimand.

This incident has sparked debates on the boundaries of courtroom protocol and the perceived authoritarianism.