SC issues notice to Prashant Bhushan on remarks against judiciary

The Supreme Court Wednesday issued notice to advocate Prashant Bhushan on the alleged contemptuous remarks on Twitter. The top court also asked the Attorney General to assist it on the matter.

Senior advocate Sajan Poovayya, representing Twitter Inc, California, the US, contended before the top court that he will advise his client to delete the offensive tweets.

A bench comprising Justices Arun Mishra, B. R. Gavai and Krishna Murari asked Bhushan and Twitter to file reply by August 5.

The bench questioned Twitter why it can't disable the tweets on its own even after a contempt has been initiated. The counsel for Twitter replied he understands the matter and he will convey court's intent to his client.

He further submitted before the bench to direct it to disable tweets by Bhushan, and insisted that Twitter cannot delete tweets without court direction.

The Supreme Court has initiated suo motu contempt proceedings against Bhushan for allegedly making derogatory comments against the top court on Twitter.

The suo motu contempt proceedings have been initiated against Bhushan for publishing two tweets, the first tweet, which was posted on June 27 alleged that the last four Chief Justices had played a role in the "destruction of democracy" during undeclared "emergency" for last six years.

"When historians in future look back at the last 6 years to see how democracy has been destroyed in India even without a formal Emergency, they will particularly mark the role of the Supreme Court in this destruction, & more particularly the role of the last 4 CJIs", said the tweet by Bhushan.

And the second tweet on June 29 allegedly said the present Chief Justice rode a stationary bike at Nagpur while keeping the apex court in lockdown and denying citizens their right to access to justice.

The apex court has been hearing cases through video conferencing all through the lockdown period.