SC lawyer moves AG's office seeking contempt proceedings against Nishikant Dubey for anti-judiciary remarks

Supreme Court lawyer Anas Tanwir has moved the office of Attorney General to initiate contempt proceedings at Bharatiya Janata Party MP Nishikant Dubey for his alleged comments against the apex court. Tanwir said the comments were misleading and were aimed at lowering the dignity of the Supreme Court.

 

In his letter written under section 15(1)(b) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, Tanwir has sought the consent of AG to initiate contempt proceedings against the Lok Sabha MP. The lawyer charged the statements made by Dubey were "grossly scandalous, misleading, and aimed at lowering the dignity and authority of the Honourable Supreme Court of India."

 

Referring to the Supreme Court's observations during the hearing over Waqf Amendment Act, the senior counsel also accused Dubey of making communally polarizing comments against the Supreme Court. He said the comments cast aspersions on the top court's impartiality. 

 

The opposition including Congress has demanded BJP to take action against Dubey and BJP MP Dinesh Sharma for their alleged comments against the judiciary and the Supreme Court. The comments come in the backdrop of apex court specifying timeline for governors and president for granting assent to bills passed by state legislatures. 

 

Dubey said, "If one has to go to the Supreme Court for everything, then Parliament and State Assembly should be shut."

 

The BJP has distanced itself from the MPs' remarks and said the comments were personal and not the party's views. BJP president J.P. Nadda said, "The Bharatiya Janata Party has nothing to do with the statements made by BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma on the judiciary and the Chief Justice of the country. These are their personal statements, but the BJP neither agrees with such statements nor does it ever support such statements."

India