New Delhi, 16 October (H.S.): The Supreme Court of India has issued contempt notices to journalist Nikhil Wagle and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut over their remarks concerning Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and the judiciary. A Bench headed by the Chief Justice directed that notices be issued to both individuals.

The petition was filed by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA). The Court has sought responses from Wagle and Raut, asking them to explain why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them. However, it declined to grant the request to summon them in person at this stage.

“We are issuing show-cause notices. For the time being, we are exempting them from personal appearance. Let us see how the matter proceeds,” the Chief Justice observed.

During the hearing, the CJI said it was deeply unfortunate that the judiciary was being subjected to such attacks, given that courts had consistently upheld personal liberty and other fundamental rights. He observed that whenever personal liberty or any other right had been threatened, people had turned to the courts for protection, and the judiciary had never shied away from safeguarding those rights.

“It is very unfortunate if the very people who have approached the courts for protection of their rights condemn, criticise or launch scathing attacks against the courts,” the Chief Justice said.

Wagle and Raut had criticised the CJI’s decision to decline a request from a delegation of opposition parties led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for an in-person meeting to discuss the functioning of the Election Commission of India.

Responding to a report in an English-language daily about the Chief Justice’s decision, Wagle posted the words “**** you CJI!” on his account on X. He subsequently deleted the post and apologised for his remarks.

Raut, meanwhile, had claimed that 80 judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts had been seen playing badminton with political leaders in London.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar