Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has assured three academicians associated with a now-removed NCERT Class 8 sub-chapter titled “Corruption in Indian Judiciary” that harsh observations made against them in an earlier order will be deleted, clarifying that the court’s criticism was directed at the content of the chapter and not at the individuals personally.
What the Court Said
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi acknowledged that the earlier observations were harsh and had affected the academicians. Justice Bagchi stated clearly that those portions would be deleted. The bench clarified that the court was never opposed to academic discussion on the judiciary, but took issue with the way corruption was projected as a defining feature of the judicial system in the textbook.
Academicians Had Approached the Court
The three academicians had moved the court seeking removal of observations that questioned their academic integrity and suggested no academic institution would engage them in future. Senior advocates Shyam Divan, Gopal Sankaranarayanan, and J Sai Deepak, appearing for them, told the bench that their clients had no intention of maligning the judiciary.
Chapter Lacked Balance, Says Court
The bench observed that the NCERT chapter lacked balance, noting that important aspects such as access to justice, legal aid, and the role of judges in legal services had been completely ignored. The court advised academicians to exercise restraint and maintain respect for the constitutional framework while preparing educational material related to the judiciary.
