New Delhi, 26 February (H.S.): The Supreme Court has imposed an immediate ban on a Class 8 textbook published by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) that features a chapter on corruption within the judiciary. A bench presided over by Chief Justice Suryakant declared that a deep conspiracy had been orchestrated in this matter, with those responsible facing the full force of the law.

The court issued contempt notices to schools, the Education Department, and NCERT Director Dr. Dinesh Prasad Saklani, demanding they identify the individuals accountable for including the contentious chapter in the Class 8 curriculum. It directed NCERT and the Central Government to ensure all copies of the book are removed from circulation everywhere, preventing them from reaching the public.

NCERT and the Central Government have been ordered to file a compliance report on the directive. The court warned that any online or physical promotion or distribution of the book would constitute contempt of court, emphasizing that such material appears to be a deliberate plot to malign the judiciary.

Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi had raised concerns about the issue before Chief Justice Suryakant's bench on February 25. The Chief Justice affirmed that no one would be permitted to tarnish the reputation of the judiciary.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar