CJI Chandrachud recuses self from hearing contempt case against Kunal Kamra; know why
New Delhi, January 5: Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud recused himself from hearing the contempt of court proceedings against comedian Kunal Kamra for tweets 'critiquing the judiciary' on Thursday.
"We will place this matter before a bench to which I (CJI) am not a part because the comments (tweets) were made on the order, which I have passed," a bench of CJI and Justice PS Narasimha said.
The case was then scheduled for a hearing before another bench in two weeks.
Four contempt petitions against Kamra are pending before the Supreme Court for his remarks about the Apex Court and its judges.
One of the cases is for his tweets criticising the Supreme Court and CJI Chandrachud after the apex court issued an order in November 2020 granting bail to Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami.
The bench, led by CJI Chandrachud, granted bail to Goswami, prompting his recusal from the case.
On January 29, 2021, Kamra in his affidavit before the top court defended his tweets against the judiciary, saying India would be reduced to a "country of incarcerated artists and flourishing lapdogs" if influential people and institutions show an inability to "tolerate rebuke or criticism".
Kamra had refused to apologise for his tweets criticising the Supreme Court, saying in a statement that "the Supreme Court's silence on matters of others' personal liberty cannot go uncriticised."
According to comedian Kamra, public faith in the judiciary cannot be shaken by criticism or commentary, but only by the court's own actions and accord.
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- ANI
