CJI eyes suo motu case over NCERT’s Class 8 textbook chapter alleging ‘corruption in judiciary’

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant has referred to the “selective” reference to “corruption in the judiciary” in a Class 8 NCERT book as a “tentatively calculated, deep-rooted attempt” to denigrate the institution.

“I will not let anything like to happen,” CJI Kant, visibly annoyed, emphasised when senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi brought up the issue in open court. They urged the CJI to take suo motu cognisance.

Mr. Sibal said that the reference to “corruption,” particularly in relation to the judiciary, seemed deliberate.

“It is as if there is no corruption in other organs of governance — Ministers, bureaucrats, the police, politicians,” Mr. Sibal and Mr. Singhvi said.

The CJI assured that action would be taken, even indicating that suo motu cognisance may be taken if required.

“Please wait for a few days. Bar and Bench are both perturbed. All the High Court judges are perturbed. I have received many calls. I will take up the matter suo motu. I will not allow anybody to defame the institution. Law will take its course. As head of the institution. I have done my duty and I have taken cognisance. This seems to be a calculated move… I will not say much,” the CJI said.

Justice Joymalya Bagchi, also on the Bench, indicated that the mention in the school book affected constitutional integrity and impacted the principle of separation of powers, which is part of the Basic Structure Doctrine.

The chapter “The Role of the Judiciary in Our Society” in a Class 8 social science book prescribed by NCERT mentions that corruption, a massive backlog of cases, and a lack of an adequate number of judges are among the “challenges” faced by the judicial system. The section on “corruption in the judiciary” in the book states that judges are bound by a code of conduct that governs not only their behaviour in court but also how they conduct themselves outside of it.