Journalist seeks AG’s consent for contempt action against Uddhav Thackeray for remarks about CJI DY Chandrachud

A Haryana-based journalist has written to the Attorney General (AG) for India R Venkataramani seeking his consent to initiate contempt of court proceedings against Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray for his recent remarks on Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud..As per Section 15 of the Contempt of Courts Act and Rule 3 of Rules to Regulate Proceedings for Contempt of Supreme Court, the consent of Attorney General or Solicitor General is required before the apex court can hear a criminal contempt petition filed by a private individual.Journalist Deepak Upadhyay has claimed that Thackeray made “scurrilous, unwarranted and defamatory remarks” about CJI Chandrachud during his Dussehra speech on October 24. Upadhyay said the speech was brought to his notice by his Marathi speaking friends who translated it for him..The translated transcript with Upadhyay’s letter reveals that Thackeray was speaking about family traditions when he referred to CJI Chandrachud and his father Justice YV Chandrachud, the longest serving Chief Justice of India.“Each one has to decide whether he is going to be known as someone who never bent before anyone or as someone who licked the boots of those wielding power,” the letter quotes Thackeray as having said..Upadhyay has alleged that Thackeray’s remarks were aimed at exerting pressure to influence the outcome of sub-judice matters and to coerce the CJI to decide those cases in a particular way.“It may even be an attempt to scandalise the court and have certain benches stay their hands from hearing matters,” the journalist wrote in the letter.The statements question judicial independence and integrity as it implies bias, partiality and subservience of the judiciary to the executive, the letter adds..Stating that the annual Dussehra rally of Shiv Sena is an important date in the organisation’s calendar, Upadhyay said significance of the occasion only shows that Thackeray’s remarks were deliberate, strategic and “geared to achieve the objective of securing favourable verdicts” from the apex court.Thus, Upadhyay has sought the AG’s written consent for initiating proceedings against the Shiv Sena leader under Section 15 of the Contempt of Courts Act read with Section 3(c) of the Rules to Regulate Proceedings for Contempt of the Supreme Court.