Prashant Bhushan Defends Tweets on Judiciary, Supreme Court Reserves Verdict in Contempt Case
News 18Activist lawyer Prashant Bhushan on Wednesday defended in the Supreme Court his two alleged contemptuous tweets saying they were against the judges regarding their conduct in their personal capacity and they did not obstruct administration of justice. Referring to the ADM Jabalpur case on suspension of fundamental rights during the emergency, the senior advocate said that even "extremely uncharitable" remarks against the judges were made and no contempt proceedings were made out. In a 142-page reply affidavit, Bhushan stood by his two tweets and had said the expression of opinion, "however outspoken, disagreeable or unpalatable to some", cannot constitute contempt of court. While referring to the tweets by Bhushan, the apex court had said these statements are prima facie capable of "undermining the dignity and authority" of the institution of the Supreme Court in general and the office of Chief Justice of India in particular, in the eyes of the public at large. Bhushan along with former Union Minister Arun Shourie and veteran journalist N Ram have also moved the Supreme Court challenging the constitutional validity of a legal provision, dealing with criminal contempt on the ground of "scandalizing the court", saying it was violative freedom of speech and right to equality.