Supreme Court to hear plea for contempt case against Nishikant Dubey next week

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed that a plea seeking initiation of contempt of court action against Bharatiya Janata Party Member Parliament (MP) Nishikant Dubey for his remarks against the top court and the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna, be listed for hearing next week..The matter was mentioned before a Bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih by a lawyer who told the Court that the Attorney General has not responded to the request for permission to initiate contempt action against Dubey. "The remark is viral. Dubey says CJI responsible for civil wars. No reply from Attorney (General) on this," the lawyer said. "List it next week," Justice Gavai said.The matter was mentioned on Monday as well before the same Bench.However, the Bench had then asked the lawyer to make out a case before the AG."Make a case before AG. He will give permission," Justice Gavai had said.According to the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, a private individual can file a contempt of court petition in Supreme Court only after obtaining the consent of the Attorney General or the Solicitor General. .Dubey last week in an interview with the news wire Asian News International (ANI) said that CJI Khanna was to blame for “all civil wars in the country”. Following his comments, certain lawyers had written to the AG seeking permission to file contempt of court petitions against Dubey under the Contempt of Courts Act..Dubey's comments have come at a time when the leaders belonging to the BJP have upped the ante against judiciary, particularly the top court, for allegedly taking executive decisions and writing laws through judicial orders.Dubey had targeted the CJI soon after the top court made an intervention in the petitions challenging the Waqf Amendment Act, leading the government to agree to not implement certain provisions of the controversial law.Earlier, Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar had said that judges in the country have no accountability and the law of the land does not apply to them..Dhankar had taken a swipe at the judiciary in the wake of the Supreme Court's recent judgment on interpretation of Governor and President of India's powers in relation to the passing of bills enacted by State legislatures..[Read Live Coverage]