Former Solicitor General and senior advocate Harish Salve on 12 October 2026 sharply criticised the INDIA bloc's decision to march to the Supreme Court and seek a meeting with the Chief Justice of India (CJI), calling it 'sheer stupidity' and alleging that the apex court was being used as a political instrument. Speaking in an interview, Salve also questioned the ongoing protests against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, warning that such moves risk eroding public faith in constitutional institutions.

On the CJI Meeting Bid

Salve said he initially thought reports of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and INDIA bloc leaders seeking an appointment with the CJI were 'fake', but confirmed the development after lawyers from the Bar and Bench corroborated it. He expressed bewilderment that a party with several senior advocates in its ranks would pursue such a course. 'The Chief Justice does not personally hear every case. The Bench to which the Chief Justice assigns a matter hears it and delivers the judgment,' he said, adding, 'Something new is happening in our country. I do not understand what is going on.'

On the march itself, Salve was unsparing. 'This is sheer stupidity. It appears as though they are proceeding on the assumption that they have no faith in the Constitution or any system and that they will do whatever they want,' he said. He pointed out that the INDIA bloc had already filed a petition, making the street protest politically incongruous with the legal process underway.

Supreme Court as a Political Tool

Salve alleged that the Opposition was 'trying to use the Supreme Court as a political tool every day.' He noted that the court had, on the day of the interview, passed what he described as a 'very balanced order' — directing only that nothing illegal be done and that the government's response remain proportionate. 'I have been practising law for more than 45 years. I have never before seen this kind of thinking, in which people seek to meet the Chief Justice in this manner,' he said.

Salve also addressed remarks attributed to senior lawyer and politician Kapil Sibal, who has reportedly expressed a loss of faith in the judiciary. 'If he has lost faith in the judiciary, he should advise his clients accordingly. If I had no faith in the judiciary, I would not appear in court myself,' Salve said. He drew a distinction between being disappointed with a specific judgment and questioning the institution's integrity, invoking the English legal maxim: 'They are not final because they are right, but they are right because they are final.'

On the Protests Against the Election Commission

Salve criticised the campaign against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, noting that the Supreme Court had already sought a response from the Election Commission and a hearing was due within approximately 10 days. He questioned the necessity of daily agitation. 'Is it necessary to inconvenience the people of Delhi? The festive season is approaching. Shopkeepers are worried that protests could affect their businesses,' he said. Salve emphasised that while the Supreme Court cannot directly remove the CEC, the validity of his decisions and procedures will be examined by the court in due course.

He also noted that if personal misconduct were established, the applicable constitutional procedure — including a motion for impeachment — could be pursued through proper channels.

Allegations of Foreign Funding

In the most pointed section of the interview, Salve alleged that some of the protest activity was being financed and instigated from abroad. 'I believe that foreign funding is being provided for these efforts and that they are being instigated from abroad. This is my allegation,' he said explicitly. He cited what he described as a pattern visible over 'the past six to eight months' and referenced protest figures he named as YouTubers Dipke and Saurav Das, some of whom he said operate from overseas, including Germany. Salve drew a parallel with political upheaval in Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, alleging external involvement in those cases as well — though he offered no documentary evidence for these claims, framing them as his personal assessment.

He said he was 'fully confident' that a government investigation would be initiated, and added that in his view the current movement was 'not a genuine people's movement.'

Institutional Integrity and the Road Ahead

Stepping back, Salve warned against the broader trend of weakening constitutional institutions through political pressure. 'The Constitution has established separate institutions, including the judiciary, the legislature, the elected executive and the Election Commission. Each has its own jurisdiction,' he said. He cautioned that if every unfavourable judgment is met with a declaration of lost faith, the institutional framework of Indian democracy itself is at risk. Salve indicated the government had taken a 'clear and firm position' to protect institutions, and said he believed it should continue to do so. How the INDIA bloc responds — legally and on the streets — is likely to shape the next phase of the stand-off.