P&H High Court Issues Contempt Notice To Advocate Who Suggested Taking Judges To Supreme Court Over Alleged Delay In Her Case

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has issued contempt notice against an advocate appearing in person, who made scandalous remarks against sitting High Court judges and a Trial Court judge.The petitioner wrote in her petition that Judges must comply with the provisions of SC/ST Act and pre-pone her case listed in October or she will file a case against them in the Supreme Court.Justice Harpreet Singh Brar said,"not only has she failed to indicate how she has been intentionally victimized in the matter at hand, she has also made scandalous remarks attacking the integrity of the justice dispensation mechanism. Thus, this Court is constrained to note that the pleadings of the petitioner are per se contemptuous. Since the petitioner is not a layperson but a qualified Advocate, it cannot be assumed that the said unceremonious behaviour stemmed out of lack of knowledge."The Court opined that, the reckless allegations made by the petitioner were intended to bring disrepute to the justice administration system. "The act of the petitioner is an attempt at intimidating the adjudicatory authority which prima facie amounts to interference in the judicial process.""The unwarranted and unjustied challenge to the authority of the Courts undermines the dignity of the rule of law," it added.The petitioner had claimed that her case was not being taken up with the intention to harass her. Moreover, she stated that an order in the present matter wherein it was recorded that she did not want to press the case, was passed by a Co-ordinate bench without her consent.The case was previously listed before a Co-ordinate bench and was consistently heard since 29.05.2024. However, on 26.05.2025, the matter was ordered to be listed before another bench as the earlier Bench recused itself from hearing the same, the Court noted.It further stated that the present case was listed before the present Bench on 14.07.2025. However, on the said day, the matter could not be taken up due to a heavy cause list of 191 cases inclusive of the cases listed specially under the Mediation of Nation Drive. Accordingly, the case was adjourned to 31.10.2025 and the bench noted that in the present proceeding as well about 245 cases were listed before the Court."A perusal of the record indicates no reasons that could justify making such scandalous allegations by the petitioner. In fact, not only has she failed to indicate how she has been intentionally victimized in the matter at hand, she has also made scandalous remarks attacking the integrity of the justice dispensation mechanism," it added.Reliance was placed on Supreme Court's decision in M.Y. Shareef and another Vs. The Hon'ble Judges of the High Court of Nagpur [1955 SCR (1) 757], wherein it opined that even an Advocate who has signed the petition containing scandalous allegations against the Courts would also be liable to be held for contempt.Observing that "such scandalous remarks have the potential of shaking the very edifice of the judicial system which would inevitably shake the faith of the public in the institution," the Court issued notice to show cause as to why contempt proceedings may not be initiated against her.Ms. Ravneet Kaur- petitioner in person.Title: RAVNEET KAUR V/S STATE OF PUNJABClick here to read/download the order

P&H High Court Issues Contempt Notice To Advocate Who Suggested Taking Judges To Supreme Court Over Alleged Delay In Her Case

Aiman J. Chishti

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