INC Kerala row: SC issues notice to KPCC on post critical of CJI Surya Kant
The Supreme Court on Friday, November 6, sought a response from the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) in a petition over a social media post about the Chief Justice of India, Surya Kant. Justice Aravind Kumar, head of the bench hearing the petition, issued a notice to the KPCC office bea
The Supreme Court on Friday, November 6, sought a response from the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) in a petition over a social media post about the Chief Justice of India, Surya Kant. Justice Aravind Kumar, head of the bench hearing the petition, issued a notice to the KPCC office bearers, asking them to explain why the court need not “punish for contempt of itself” under Article 129 of the Constitution. The court also said that an amicus curiae will be appointed to assist the case and that it would seek the assistance of the Attorney General of India.The post, published on social media platform X on October 12, was in response to the CJI’s observations regarding police restrictions against the Cockroach Janta Party-led protests in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. The CJI had said that law and order was not his domain, and that the court could not interfere with it.“Dear Surya Kant, if law and order is not your domain, resign now. We will find your replacement who can handle it”, read the post tweeted in response, from the @inckerala handle on X.The post was later deleted, and KPCC head Sunny Joseph apologised, calling it the act of one individual, posted without authorisation from the party. It prompted a legal notice from the Supreme Court Bar Association joint secretary and advocate Meenesh Dubey. Later, the apex court took up a writ petition filed by advocate Vineet Jindal.Justice Aravind Kumar asked on Friday if the apology was really heartfelt. “The independence of the judiciary is not a matter of political convenience. It is a Constitutional guarantee owed to the people of the Republic. Judgements are always open to criticism, however severe. But freedom of expression cannot become a shield of intimidation or interference with the administration of justice,” the court remarked, reports The Hindu.Justice Aravind Kumar also added that the Supreme Court does not require political endorsement or approval, and that the court's authority stems from the Constitution, not an individual or political party.In its response to the now-deleted social media post, the KPCC had singled out Vijay Thottathil, one of the people who managed the Congress’s official X handle in Keralam. This created a rift within the party after Vijay denied being solely responsible for its publication, describing it as a “team effort”.