They fired a gunshot, judiciary bleeding: SC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday imposed a complete ban on further publication, printing or digital dissemination of NCERT class 8 book which includes a section on “corruption in the judiciary” and said that it would like to have a deeper probe into the matter.

The court had earlier registered the matter as a suo motu case on Wednesday after the matter was raised before the bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi.

Taking a strong exception to the ‘offending textbook’, the Supreme Court remarked that it was a calculated move to undermine the institutional authority and demean the dignity of the judiciary. In a strong observation, the CJI said that a gunshot was fired and that the judiciary was bleeding.

While dictating the order, the CJI issued notices under the Contempt of Courts Act to the Department of School Education and to NCERT Director Dr Dinesh Prasad Saklani, asking them to show cause why suitable action should not be initiated against them.

The court highlighted that there was a calculated move to undermine the institutional authority and demean the dignity of the judiciary. It added that if allowed to go unchecked, this will erode the sanctity of judicial office in the estimation of public at large and within the minds of youth. The court noted that the choice of words in the book may not be a simpliciter inadvertent bona fide error.