A stand-up act

In Indian courts, as elsewhere, people are required to stand up when judges walk into the courtroom. But even though he’s not a judge, lawyer Ram Jethmalani appears to enjoy a spontaneous stand-up when he enters a courtroom. Arguing for bail for an accused in the Sohrabuddin encounter case recently, there were many who had come to the Bombay High Court only to hear him. So when he entered after lunch, several senior lawyers and their juniors stood up. The hustle caused in the courtroom gave the impression that the judge had walked in after the lunch break, as a result of which some petitioners started rising from their seats as well.