Priyanka Chaturvedi, Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP, criticised the recent directions of the Supreme Court of India regarding a Class 8 textbook chapter discussing “corruption in the judiciary.” She termed the Court’s intervention “judicial overreach,” questioning its instructions related to the school textbook content.
Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi criticized the Supreme Court’s recent instructions regarding a Class 8 textbook chapter discussing “corruption in the judiciary,” labeling it as “judicial overreach.”
She called on the government to ensure that all three branches of governance the legislature, executive, and judiciary are treated equally under the law and are subject to scrutiny.
Last month, the Supreme Court imposed a total ban on the Class 8 Social Science textbook released by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) due to the contentious chapter. On March 11, the court expressed disappointment with what it termed a “laconic” affidavit provided by the NCERT.
It directed the education authority to sever ties with the three-member Textbook Development Team that created the chapter and prohibited its members from participating in any publicly funded roles in the future.
Addressing the Rajya Sabha, Ms. Chaturvedi stated that the judiciary’s initial move to ban the chapter was understandable if it felt it was singled out. Up to that point, we felt it was fine,
She added,
“But the matter did not end there. Those involved kept pushing it further, saying that if anyone criticizes on social media, the Supreme Court will take action.”
She pointed out that the NCERT had already issued an apology, yet the punitive measures persisted. Citing the case involving alleged corruption by Justice Yashwant Varma, she argued that allegations of corruption in public institutions, ranging from politicians to the police and bureaucracy, are routinely investigated, and the judiciary should not be considered immune.
She remarked,
“But the judiciary becomes so sensitive when there is talk of corruption…whereas here an impeachment motion was brought against a sitting High Court judge.”
Last March, illicit cash was found in an outhouse associated with Justice Varma, then a judge at the Delhi High Court, which led to an inquiry initiated by the former Chief Justice of India. Subsequently, the judge was reassigned to the Allahabad High Court.
A motion for his removal, put forth by the Opposition, remains pending in the Rajya Sabha.
The textbook at the center of the controversy, Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Class 8, Vol. 2), included a passage on “corruption in the judiciary” within a chapter titled “The role of the judiciary in our society.”
As reported by media the textbook contains a section devoted to“corruption in the judiciary” within a chapter discussing“The role of the judiciary in our society.”
This chapter outlines various forms of judicial corruption and mentions significant challenges faced by the judicial system, such as a backlog of cases due to insufficient judges, complex legal procedures, and inadequate infrastructure.
The book reportedly includes a segment titled “corruption in the judiciary” within a chapter focused on “The role of the judiciary in our society.”
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal first brought the matter to the Court’s attention on February 25, at which point the bench said it had already taken cognisance of the issue.
NCERT subsequently issued a press release calling the contested passage an inadvertent lapse in judgment, stating it would withdraw that portion and revise it following appropriate consultations.
NCERT stands for National Council of Educational Research and Training. It is an autonomous organisation under the Government of India that designs and publishes school textbooks, especially for CBSE schools.
FOLLOW US FOR MORE LEGAL UPDATES ON YOUTUBE
