Punjab & Haryana High Court Issues Contempt Notice Against Advocate For Writing Objectionable Comments About Judge Behind Summons

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has issued a contempt notice against an advocate who allegedly made contemptuous remarks against a Trial Court Judge at the back of the summons sent to his client. 

A division bench of Justice Sureshwar Thakur and Justice Sukhvinder Kaur said, "the contemptuous endorsement as made on the reverse of the summons, thus, by the respondent - contemner also appears to be so made by the respondent-contemner, therebys a show cause notice is ordered to be issued upon the respondent- contemner to explain as to why proceedings for his committing Criminal Contempt of Court be not drawn against him."

The Court took suo moto cognizance of the "contemptuous note" allegedly written by a complainant's advocate at the back of the summon served upon him, in a criminal case at a Trial Court in Haryana's Rohtak.  He allegedly wrote that the "presiding Officer is in collusion with the accused" and his counsel.

Thereafter another notice was issued by the Judge informing that there was a cancellation report in favour of the accused. When the second notice was received, another contemptuous note was allegedly recorded behind the summons sent.

The Judge informed the District and Sessions Judge, Rohtak that another contemptuous report had been received. Resultantly, the District and Sessions Judge brought the said fact to the notice of the Registrar General of the High Court.

In the previous proceeding, the Court noted that the Magistrate was not sure that the writing was of the alleged contemnor or some other person since the Officer was not acquainted with the writing of the said person and it was alleged that he was the son of the complainant.

However, in the present proceeding the District and Sessions Judge confirmed that "Ganpat Sharma, Advocate, is the one who had written the objectionable comments in his own hand writing behind the notices issued for 25.04.2023 and 21.09.2023.”

In the light of the above the Court issued the contempt notice to explain why proceedings for his committing Criminal Contempt of Court be not drawn against him.

The matter is listed for April 19, for further proceedings.

Title: Court on its Own Motion vs. Ganpat Sharma

Click here to read/download the order