Governments ignoring court orders: CJI

Tags: National News

Chief Justice of India NV Ramana said non-functioning of various organs of the executive and ambiguity in laws are adding to the litigation burden on the judiciary.

• Contempt petitions are a new category of burden on courts, which are a direct result of disobedience by governments.

• Such actions show the sheer disobedience of the governments towards judicial pronouncements.

• The tendency to delegate the responsibility of decision making to the courts is clearly visible.

• The ambiguity of the legislature, lack of foresight, and public consultation before enacting a law have led to a docket explosion.

• What is Contempt of the Court?

• Contempt of court is the offence of being disobedient to or disrespectful toward a court of law and its officers.

• There are two categories of contempt-

1. Disrespecting the legal authorities in the courtroom.

2. Willfully failing to comply with a court order.

• Article 129 of the Constitution empowered the Supreme Court to punish for contempt of itself.

• Article 215 confers similar power on High Courts.

• The Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, gives statutory support to this idea.