SC issues contempt notice to Congress’ Keralam unit for CJI post

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday issued a contempt notice to all office bearers of the Keralam unit of the Congress over a social media post targeting Chief Justice of India Surya Kant. A bench of justices Aravind Kumar and Vipul M Pancholi said the Constitution is supreme and no individual or political organisation stands above it.

“Judgements are always open to criticism. Freedom of expression can’t be a shield of intimidation to interfere with the administration of justice. Howsoever high position a person occupies, any attempt to undermine the authority of the court needs to be dealt with an iron hand.

“Authority of the court doesn’t require political endorsement; it rests on the rule of law. Where administration of justice is established, the law must take its course,” the bench said.

Independence of judiciary is not a matter of political convenience, the court said, adding that judicial restraint must never be mistaken for institutional weakness.

During the hearing, the lawyer appearing for the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) submitted that the material was uploaded without the office-bearers’ approval, and was removed.

He told the court that an unconditional apology has also been issued.

Justice Kumar observed that the court would examine “whether it has come from the pen or heart”.

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