CJI defends contempt of court provisions

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 26 (UNI) Defending the provisions of contempt of court, Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan today said without them judicial orders would become a bunch of papers and no executive officer would obey court verdicts.

Addressing a seminar on ''Relationship between the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary,'' organised as part of the Kerala Assembly Gold Jubilee celebrations here, he said if the provision on contempt of court was removed, nobody would obey court orders.

''No executive officer will obey the court orders if they are not afraid of the provisions of contempt of court,'' Mr Balakrishnan said and added the courts were not afraid of criticisms and these provisions were meant to protect the interests of the people.

Stating that criticisms should not bring down the prestige and power of the judiciary, he said, however, it should not be directed at the institutions and any individual judge or with any motivation.

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