New Delhi, April 21: The Supreme Court on Monday clarified that its permission is not required to file a contempt petition against BJP MP Nishikant Dubey over his recent remarks targeting the apex court and Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna.
A bench comprising Justices B.R. Gavai and Augustine George Masih told the petitioner’s counsel that only the Attorney General’s sanction is needed to proceed. "You file it. For filing, you don't require our permission," Justice Gavai remarked.
The advocate had cited a news report on Dubey's controversial statements, where the MP allegedly accused the Supreme Court of "leading the country towards anarchy" and held CJI Khanna "responsible for civil wars."
Several lawyers, including Anas Tanwir and Shiv Kumar Tripathi, have written to Attorney General R. Venkataramani seeking contempt proceedings against Dubey, calling his remarks "grossly scandalous" and damaging to the court’s dignity.
Additionally, advocate Subhash Theekkadan has sought criminal contempt proceedings against Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar for comments that allegedly undermine the Supreme Court’s authority. Dhankhar had criticized the judiciary’s timelines on Presidential assent for state Bills and accused the court of acting like a "super Parliament."
Under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, private individuals must obtain the Attorney General’s or Solicitor General’s consent to file contempt petitions in the Supreme Court.
