New Delhi: The Supreme Court has agreed to examine a plea which sought action against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy for misusing his office by making allegations against an apex court judge, as well as those of the High Court.
A bench, headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, ordered to tag a PIL filed by advocate Sunil Kumar Singh with a pending matter in the court.
In the plea, Singh urged the top court to issue directions to the Chief Minister to not make such statement in future or conduct any public or press briefing; and also issue show cause notice as to why suitable action not be taken against him.
Justice Kaul said that the top court had stayed the Andhra High Court media gag order in Amaravati land scam, but cited that the second prayer seeking suitable action against the Chief Minister can be tagged with the main matter.
On October 6, Reddy had written a letter to Chief Justice S.A. Bobde levelling various allegations against a senior Supreme Court judge as well as the Chief Justice and several other judges of the Andhra High Court.
One of these PILs was filed by advocate G.S. Mani, who argued that there were allegations against a sitting top court judge. The bench observed that this plea is not maintainable as the prayers are very confusing.
“If you want an in-house inquiry, then let the Chief Justice take call as the letter has been addressed to him,” said Justice Kaul.
Mani argued that the statements were in public domain. The top court replied this is not done and the petitioner cannot pick up something from the newspaper and file it in the court. The bench declined to entertain Mani’s petition and another petition by an NGO.
Counsel for advocate Singh contended before the top court that the Supreme Court in E.M.S. Namboodaripad case, had said a Chief Minister cannot make such statements.
After a brief hearing into the matter, the top court, without issuing notice, tagged Singh’s petition with a pending special leave petition filed by the Andhra Pradesh government in which the gag order passed by the High Court was modified on November 25.
On September 15, the High Court had passed an interim order prohibiting publication of news with regard to the registration of an FIR in the scam, in any electronic, print or social media.
