The attempted shoe attack on Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai on October 6, 2025, has sparked widespread condemnation and debate within the legal community. While CJI Gavai has stated that he and Justice K. Vinod Chandran, who was also on the bench, were "very shocked" by the incident but consider it a "forgotten chapter," Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has taken a different view, calling the act "an affront to the Supreme Court" and asserting that due action should have been taken.

The incident occurred during mentioning hours when a 71-year-old lawyer, Rakesh Kishore, attempted to hurl a shoe at the CJI. Kishore was reportedly unhappy with remarks made by the CJI during a hearing regarding the restoration of a Lord Vishnu idol at the Khajuraho temple complex. He was heard shouting, "Sanatan ka apman nahi sahenge" (We will not tolerate any insult to Sanatan).

Following the incident, Kishore was briefly detained but was released after CJI Gavai instructed the court's Registrar General not to press charges. However, the Bar Council of India (BCI) has suspended Kishore from practicing law with immediate effect, citing conduct "inconsistent" with "the rules and the dignity of the court". The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has also terminated Kishore's membership, describing the incident as a serious security breach and a "direct assault on judicial independence". The SCBA stated that Kishore's behavior was "reprehensible, disorderly and a gross violation of professional ethics".

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta has called the act "unpardonable" while praising the CJI for his magnanimity. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who was present in the court, urged for the discussion to be closed and for the court to proceed with the hearing.

The incident has also drawn political reactions. Some have called for Kishore to be booked under the SC/ST Act, claiming that CJI Gavai, who is from the Dalit community, was attacked because of his caste.

Former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju stated that CJI Gavai had invited the shoe-throwing incident by making unwarranted remarks about Lord Vishnu. Katju said that judges should talk less in court and not deliver sermons. The CJI has claimed that his comments on Lord Vishnu were quoted out of context.

The incident occurred during the hearing of pleas seeking review of the Vanashakti judgement, which prohibited the central government from granting retrospective environmental clearances to projects violating environmental norms.