Supreme Court to pronounce verdict in Prashant Bhushan contempt case today

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court is scheduled to pronounce its verdict in the suo motu contempt case against activist lawyer Prashant Bhushan for his two tweets allegedly derogatory against the judiciary. A bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra will pronounce its verdicts in the matter.

The top court on August 5 had reserved its verdict in the matter after Bhushan defended 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.

On July 22, the top court had issued a show cause notice to Bhushan after initiating the criminal contempt against him for his two tweets.

While reserving the order in the contempt case, the top court had dismissed a separate petition filed by Bhushan seeking recall of the July 22 order by which the notice was issued against him in a contempt proceeding initiated for his alleged contemptuous tweets against the judiciary.

The top court had not agreed to the contention of senior advocate Dushayant Dave, representing Bhushan, that the separate plea had raised objection against the manner in which the contempt proceedings were started without the opinion of Attorney General K K Venugopal and it be sent to another bench.

Bhushan had sought a direction to declare that the apex court's secretary general has allegedly 'acted unconstitutionally and illegally' in accepting a 'defective contempt petition' filed against him, which was initially placed on the administrative side and later on the judicial side.

Referring to a judgement, the apex court had said that it has meticulously followed the law in entertaining the contempt plea and it did not agree to the submission that it be sent to another bench for hearing.

Dave arguing for Bhushan in the contempt case had said, "The two tweets were not against the institution."

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.

Bhushan, in the affidavit, has referred to several apex court judgements, speeches of former and serving judges on contempt of court and the stifling of dissent in a democracy and his views on judicial actions in some cases.