NCERT Chapter Row | 'They Must Realize How To Deal With Current CJI': Supreme Court Directs Action Against Social Media 'Mischief Mongers'
"We firmly believe in catching the bull by the horn. Even if they are hiding outside the country, I will not spare them", CJI said.
The Supreme Court today came down strongly upon "irresponsible" remarks made by certain "mischief mongers" on social media in the wake of the controversy surrounding NCERT's social science textbook for Class 8 which contained a chapter on "Corruption in Judiciary".
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul M Pancholi ordered the Government of India to identify the websites which published such content as well as the persons behind those websites.
"Some elements have acted irresponsibly on media. We firmly believe in catching bull by the horn. We direct govt of India to identify such sites, persons behind those sites, and furnish their full details to enable us to take action. Law must take its own course against mischief mongers", the CJI dictated.
After dictating the order, the CJI added, "Even if they are hiding outside the country, I will not spare them".
At the same time, the Court clarified that it was not opposed to any legitimate criticism of the judiciary.
"We hasten to reiterate para 9 of our earlier order to state that interim directions or today's orders are not intended to prevent any healthy and legitimate criticism of the institutional functioning of the judiciary. If the judiciary, like any other institution, is suffering from deficiencies, and an expert committee highlights them, it would be a welcome step for future generations," the Court observed.
During the course of submissions as well, the CJI deprecated the manner in which these "anti-social elements" reacted. "I am not a person who is going to leave these elements...they must also realize how to deal with current CJI! I will deal with them also", he said.
Besides the above, the Court was "disturbed" by the stand of the NCERT that the controversial chapter on judicial corruption had been "duly rewritten" and that the revised chapter will be incorporated in the textbooks for the 2026-27 academic year. Following the Court ventilating its objections, SG Tushar Mehta assured that the chapter will not be reprinted without the review by a high-level committee to be constituted by the Central Government.
Case Title: In Re : Social Science Textbook for Grade-8(Part 2) published by NCERT and ancillary issues | SMW (C) 1/2026