Narendra Modi isn’t the first chief minister of a state to be found guilty of contempt of the Supreme Court.
NEW DELHI: Narendra Modi isn’t the first chief minister of a state to be found guilty of contempt of the Supreme Court.
The apex court recently issued a contempt notice to Tamil Nadu CM M Karunanidhi following his reaction to the SC’s order in the Ram Setu case. He is yet to be absolved of the charge.
In 1972, then Kerala chief minister EMS Namboodripad was hauled up for contempt when he said judges are biased against the peasants and the working class.
In 1987, then Union law minister P Shiv Shankar referred to the elite background of judges in a speech at the Bar Council of Hyderabad and said, “Bank magnates, ably supported by industrialists, got higher compensation by the intervention of the SC in the Cooper case. Anti-social elements such as FERA violators, bride burners and a whole horde of reactionaries have found their haven in the SC”. Judges later absolved him.
In 2001, then Karnataka chief minister SM Krishna tendered an ‘unconditional apology’ before the SC saying his government Should have implemented the court’s order FOR release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.
Last year, the apex court sentenced Maharashtra transport minister Surup Singh Naik to one-month’s simple imprisonment for violating its order by allowing saw mills to function within prohibited forest regions.
Senior advocate P P Rao said the SC had issued contempt notice to then West Bengal CM PC Sen in 1966 for making a speech that the court felt interfered with the administration of justice.
The only political leader who suffered a symbolic one day’s sentence for violating the undertaking that he had given as CM was Kalyan Singh. He was ordered to remain in the courtroom as part of the sentence for allowing construction of temporary toilets for pilgrims at the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi site in Ayodhya.
Though Singh was no more the CM after demolition of the structures, he had to undergo the sentence for an offence that he had committed as “the chief executive of the state”.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}