📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensi
Crime
Lawyer Files Criminal Contempt Plea Over X Post Targeting Chief Justice Ashwani Mishra
✍️ LawBeat
🗓 10 Sep 2026, 02:38 PM
👁 5
A lawyer in the Punjab & Haryana High Court has filed a criminal contempt plea against an X post that allegedly targeted Chief Justice Ashwani Mishra. The plea seeks to hold the poster accountable for defaming the judiciary.
A lawyer representing the Punjab & Haryana High Court has formally filed a criminal contempt plea in response to an X post that was deemed to target Chief Justice Ashwani Mishra. The plea, submitted to the court, seeks to prosecute the individual responsible for the post under the provisions of the Contempt of Court Act.
The X post in question was circulated online and contained remarks that the court described as defamatory towards the Chief Justice. The lawyer argues that such remarks undermine the dignity of the judiciary and warrant legal action.
The High Court has not yet issued a ruling on the plea, but the filing marks a significant step in addressing online content that may be perceived as contemptuous of the court. The case is expected to set a precedent for how social media defamation of judicial officials is handled in India.
Legal experts note that criminal contempt proceedings can lead to fines or imprisonment, depending on the severity of the offense. The court will now decide whether the alleged post meets the threshold for contempt of court.
The incident underscores the growing scrutiny of social media content that criticizes or insults judicial figures, and highlights the legal mechanisms available to protect the integrity of the judiciary.
The X post in question was circulated online and contained remarks that the court described as defamatory towards the Chief Justice. The lawyer argues that such remarks undermine the dignity of the judiciary and warrant legal action.
The High Court has not yet issued a ruling on the plea, but the filing marks a significant step in addressing online content that may be perceived as contemptuous of the court. The case is expected to set a precedent for how social media defamation of judicial officials is handled in India.
Legal experts note that criminal contempt proceedings can lead to fines or imprisonment, depending on the severity of the offense. The court will now decide whether the alleged post meets the threshold for contempt of court.
The incident underscores the growing scrutiny of social media content that criticizes or insults judicial figures, and highlights the legal mechanisms available to protect the integrity of the judiciary.