On Tuesday, the Apex Court asked whether the Maharashtra Speaker be put to notice in the contempt proceedings it has initiated against an officer of the state assembly who admitted to have acted on the presiding officer’s instructions to war n TV anchor Ar nab Goswami of contempt of House proceedings for approaching the Supreme Court with a writ petition.
On Nov 6, Goswami’s lawyer Harish Salve had drawn the SC’s attention to the Oct 13 letter sent from the office of secretary, Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha Sachivalaya, which was signed by Vilas Athawale, assistant secretary, Maharashtra Vidhan Mandal Sachivalaya. Goswami had challenged the breach of privilege notice to him on an MLA’s complaint accusing him of dishonourably referring to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray.
A bench of CJI SA Bobde & Justice A S Bopanna & Justice V Ramasubramanian had taken a serious view of the letter which it construed as an attempt to dissuade a citizen from approaching the Top Court exercising his fundamental right under Article 32 of the Constitution. The Apex Court had initiated contempt proceedings against Athawale saying the threat administered through the letter was unprecedented & tended to interfere with the administration of justice. In his reply, though Athawale tendered unconditional apology, he said he had acted on instructions of the Speaker to send the letter.
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