CJI Terms NCERT Text On ‘Judicial Corruption’ A Targeted Attack, Signals Action

The controversy surfaced during proceedings before the Supreme Court of India, where senior advocate Kapil Sibal raised concerns about the inclusion of content referring to “judicial corruption” in a school textbook. He told the bench that several senior members of the legal fraternity were deeply disturbed by the development.

Responding to the issue, CJI Surya Kant stated that he had already received numerous calls and messages, including from High Court judges, expressing concern over the textbook’s content. He described the move as a “calculated and deep-rooted” attempt to attack the institution of the judiciary and made it clear that the court would not allow its integrity to be questioned.

Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi argued that the textbook appeared selective in its approach, highlighting corruption in the judiciary while omitting references to corruption among politicians, ministers, or bureaucrats. Justice Joymalya Bagchi also observed that constitutional integrity seemed to be missing from the structure of the book.

Calling the matter a potential flashpoint between the government and the judiciary, the Chief Justice asserted that necessary action would be taken irrespective of how high the issue reached. He emphasised that the court would not permit any attempt to defame or weaken the judicial institution.

The matter is expected to be examined further as the court considers its next steps.