A Textbook, Criticism, The Court and Contempt
Sriram Panchu | 02 April 2026 | The Hindu
It is prime news ever since the Supreme Court reacted to the treatment of the judiciary in the Class eight textbook brought out by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). The Court has shelved the book and the authors, and a new committee of legal eminences is to decide what our children should read.
What is this power of contempt? It consists of two types. The first is civil contempt, invoked for disobedience of a court order. That is clear. The second is criminal contempt, and that is for obstructing the administration of justice, or prejudicing judicial proceedings. And, importantly, scandalising or lowering the authority of the court by hostile criticism that shakes public confidence in the judiciary. This is a little more complicated, requiring lines to be drawn…