Another SC lawyer seeks contempt proceedings against Nishikant Dubey over anti-judiciary remarks

Bharatiya Janata Party MP Nishikant Dubey continues to face heat for his alleged anti-judiciary remarks as another Supreme Court lawyer has approached the attorney general’s (AG) office seeking contempt proceedings against him. This is the second petition seeking contempt proceedings against Dubey.

 

Senior lawyer Shi Kumar Tripathi has written to the attorney general’s office seeking permission to initiate contempt proceedings against Dubey for his alleged remarks maligning the image of the Supreme Court and Chief Justice of India. On Sunday, Supreme Court lawyer Anas Tanwir moved the attorney general’s office seeking permission to initiate contempt proceedings against Dubey.

 

In his letter written under section 15(1)(b) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, the Supreme Court lawyer said Dubey’s comments were "grossly scandalous, misleading, and aimed at lowering the dignity and authority of the Honourable Supreme Court of India." The senior lawyer also charged Dubey made “communally polarizing” comments against the Supreme Court and the comments cast aspersions on the top court's impartiality.

 

Recently, Dubey criticised the Supreme Court’s observations while hearing pleas challenging the amended Waqf law. He also criticised the top court for specifying timelines for governors and the president to grant assent for 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." Dubey allegedly accused the top court of “inciting religious wars in the country”.

 

However, Dubey seems to be unperturbed by the criticisms as on Sunday he targeted former chief election commissioner S.Y. Quraishi over his comments on the Waqf Amendment Act. Dubey charged the former CEC was not an election commissioner but a "Muslim commissioner".

 

However, the BJP has distanced itself from the comments. BJP president and Union minister 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