SCBA hits out at Abhishek Manu Singhvi; Plates and plaques describing Library II as Dr. LM Singhvi Library to be removed

The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has taken strong objection to the demands put forth by Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi in return for renovating Library II of the Supreme Court. The Executive Committee of the SCBA has passed a resolution on July 3 that Library No. II of the Supreme Court will no longer be described as Dr. LM Singhvi Library and has also resolved that all plaques and plates describing it as Dr. LM Singhvi Library will be removed. A copy of the resolution has been put up on the SCBA website..This decision was taken after Singhvi imposed “four conditions for spending Rs. 20 lakhs for renovating the library.” According to the SCBA resolution, the proposal to name Library No. II as “Dr. LM Singhvi library” was made by Abhishek Manu Singhvi about five years back when he also paid a sum of Rs. 20 lakhs to the SCBA for renovation. After five years, the SCBA had approached Singhvi to discuss about further renovation and once again demanded Rs. 20 lakhs when Singhvi laid down the four conditions. .As per the resolution, the following are the four conditions which Singhvi proposed in return for renovating the library:.“1. A Resolution be passed by the Executive Committee that in future SCBA will not ask for any contribution in connection with Dr. LM Singhvi Library.2. There should be an inaugural ceremony or dedication ceremony or whatever function after the renovation is done.3. In the costly items which will be purchased out of Rs. 20 lakh, it may be inscribed on these items that “gifted by Dr. Abhishek Singhvi in memory of Late Dr. LM Singhvi”.4. SCBA and Dr. Singhvi will withdraw all the letters exchanged on this issue and the SCBA will withdraw the resolutions passed.”.Expressing its objection in the strongest possible words, the resolution states that,.“The Executive Committee cannot accept any of the four conditions laid down by Dr. Singhvi. In fact, Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi should have voluntarily made this contribution for renovation of library named in honour of his father at his request….The Committee is of the unanimous view that the tone, tenor and language of the letter written by Dr. Abhishek Singhvi on 21st May ought not to have written by him. Even earlier correspondence is totally unacceptable to SCBA.” .According to the letter written by Singhvi to SCBA President PH Parekh on May 21, Library II had been named and dedicated in honour of Dr. LM Singhvi under a Bar resolution/ decision. The letter states that,.“The SCBA has had the use and benefit of Rs. 20 lakhs which I gifted up to date and continues to have that…. There was absolutely no other condition of further or repeated or periodic payments of the kind now raised.”.Describing the demand for further Rs. 20 lakhs as “completely unilateral and not based on any principle and neither fair nor reasonable”, the letter discloses that Singhvi, however agreed to make a further contribution of Rs. 20 lakhs “in the interests of the welfare of the Bar” while stipulating the four conditions. The letter also states that the third condition reproduced by the SCBA is erroneous and that he had only sought for “suitable recognition of further contribution and not suggested any particular format” as alleged by the SCBA..Copy of the SCBA Resolution given below.