A day after Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice Surya Kant declined the request of INDIA bloc leaders for a meeting to submit a representation over alleged electoral irregularities, CJI Kant on Monday (Oct 12) said the Supreme Court should not be dragged into political activity.&nbsp;While hearing petitions regarding the detention of lawyers during the protests called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) against Gyanesh Kumar, CJI Kant agreed to take them up on Tuesday and &nbsp;said, “All these democratic activities should take place, but at least in Supreme Court functioning…”.&nbsp;“The Court should not be dragged into any kind of political activity. There should not be any incitement or obstruction in the functioning of the court, the movement of lawyers, court staff or litigants. They should be allowed to work," he added.&nbsp;<h2>Rahul Gandhi to move Supreme Court</h2>&nbsp;Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi said on Monday that the INDIA bloc leaders would jointly file a petition in the Supreme Court against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. He said protesters were forcibly detained on the first day of their protest and sought a dedicated protest site on the second day. Rahul said the bloc was now approaching the Supreme Court after the Chief Justice of India responded and advised them to pursue the legal course. He also questioned why Gyanesh Kumar was not resigning and alleged corruption against the CEC.&nbsp;Congress described Monday’s protest as “Chalo Delhi—March for Democracy” and asked participants to gather at the Connaught Place–Barakhamba Road junction at 1.30 pm.&nbsp;In a video post on X, Gandhi said youths, opposition parties, and civil society groups would join the march.&nbsp;A bench led by CJI Surya Kant had, in May 2026, upheld the validity of the power of the Election Commission of India to conduct the SIR. The CJI's bench is also seized of petitions challenging the various decisions of the CEC, which are alleged to have been taken without the concurrence of the other Election Commissioners.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi said on Monday that the INDIA bloc leaders would jointly file a petition in the Supreme Court against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

A day after Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice Surya Kant declined the request of INDIA bloc leaders for a meeting to submit a representation over alleged electoral irregularities, CJI Kant on Monday (Oct 12) said the Supreme Court should not be dragged into political activity. While hearing petitions regarding the detention of lawyers during the protests called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) against Gyanesh Kumar, CJI Kant agreed to take them up on Tuesday and said, “All these democratic activities should take place, but at least in Supreme Court functioning…”. “The Court should not be dragged into any kind of political activity. There should not be any incitement or obstruction in the functioning of the court, the movement of lawyers, court staff or litigants. They should be allowed to work," he added. Rahul Gandhi to move Supreme Court Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi said on Monday that the INDIA bloc leaders would jointly file a petition in the Supreme Court against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. He said protesters were forcibly detained on the first day of their protest and sought a dedicated protest site on the second day. Rahul said the bloc was now approaching the Supreme Court after the Chief Justice of India responded and advised them to pursue the legal course. He also questioned why Gyanesh Kumar was not resigning and alleged corruption against the CEC. Congress described Monday’s protest as “Chalo Delhi—March for Democracy” and asked participants to gather at the Connaught Place–Barakhamba Road junction at 1.30 pm. In a video post on X, Gandhi said youths, opposition parties, and civil society groups would join the march. A bench led by CJI Surya Kant had, in May 2026, upheld the validity of the power of the Election Commission of India to conduct the SIR. The CJI's bench is also seized of petitions challenging the various decisions of the CEC, which are alleged to have been taken without the concurrence of the other Election Commissioners.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi said on Monday that the INDIA bloc leaders would jointly file a petition in the Supreme Court against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Delhi protests: 'Court should not be dragged into political activity', says CJI Surya Kant

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant took note of the mention of ‘corruption in the judiciary’ in a revised NCERT textbook chapter and informed members of the Bar on Wednesday that the Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognisance of it and asserted that he would not let anyone defame the institution. “I will not allow anyone on earth to defame the institution. Howsoever high they be, nobody is above the law. Do not worry… I know how to deal with it,” the CJI said in open court after some senior advocates urged the court to intervene.Senior advocate Kapil Sibal mentioned the issue before a bench also comprising Justice Joymalya Bagchi, saying the Bar was “deeply disturbed”.&nbsp;<h2>‘Have already passed the order, taking matter suo motu’</h2>&nbsp;“We are compelled to urgently mention this matter since we, at the Bar, are deeply disturbed. Children in Class 8 are being taught about ‘corruption in judiciary’. It is a part of the NCERT curriculum and their textbook,” Sibal submitted.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pm-modi-greeted-by-israeli-prime-minister-benjamin-netanyahu-as-he-lands-in-israel-1772017052730">PM Modi greeted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on landing in Israel, to address Knesset</a>&nbsp;The CJI responded that he was already aware of the development. “I am fully aware of it. I can assure you…it definitely concerns the entire institution. All stakeholders, judges in high courts are equally perturbed and have brought it to my notice. I am receiving lot of calls and messages,” he said.“I have already passed the order on the administrative side. We are taking the matter suo motu,” he added, indicating that the top court would initiate proceedings on its own motion.&nbsp;The CJI described the development as “deep-rooted,” adding that it appeared to be “a calculated and conscious step”.&nbsp;<h2>‘Not a word about corruption in bureaucracy or politics’</h2>&nbsp;Senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi pointed out that while the chapter mentioned corruption in the judiciary, there was “not a word” about corruption in other sectors like the bureaucracy or politics.Responding, Justice Bagchi observed that “constitutional morality, as envisaged in the basic structure, is missing”.“I can assure you we will take appropriate steps,” the CJI reiterated.&nbsp;Supreme Court Bar Association President Senior Advocate Vikas Singh later said in a remark to the media that the instance is completely shocking and merits action. "This is completely shocking... Do they have a sub-chapter with regard to the 40 % MLAs and MPs who have a serious criminal background? ... This kind of a message, if they want to give, they should give it about these MLAs and MPs... Corruption in the judiciary is far less than what it is in the executive and in politics,” he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Delhi: On the Supreme Court taking suo moto cognisance of the issue of Class 8 students being taught ‘corruption in the Indian judiciary’ in their NCERT curriculum, President of Supreme Court Bar Association, Senior Advocate Vikas Singh says, &quot;This is completely… <a href="https://t.co/i1eYOAliWQ">pic.twitter.com/i1eYOAliWQ</a>&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2026605435781001658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/-shocking-unacceptable-says-minister-govt-initiates-action-against-bsnl-director-over-prayagraj-visit-row-1772027947359">‘Shocking, unacceptable,’ says minister; govt initiates action against BSNL director over Prayagraj visit row</a><h2>Chapter raises corruption at various levels and massive backlog of cases as challenges</h2>&nbsp;The controversy is about the newly released social science textbook for Class 8 by NCERT, which includes a section on “corruption in the judiciary” as part of a chapter titled “The role of the judiciary in our society."&nbsp;The chapter lists “corruption at various levels of the judiciary” and a “massive backlog” of cases as among the challenges faced by the judicial system. It provides approximate figures of pending cases—around 81,000 in the Supreme Court, over 6.2 million in high courts, and nearly 47 million in district courts.The section states that judges are bound by a code of conduct governing their behaviour both inside and outside court, refers to internal accountability mechanisms, and mentions complaints received through the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS). It notes that over 1,600 such complaints were received between 2017 and 2021.&nbsp;It also explains the constitutional mechanism for the removal of judges through impeachment by Parliament after due inquiry and states that instances of corruption and misconduct can negatively affect public confidence. The textbook also emphasises the need for transparency and accountability and quotes former CJI B R Gavai on the importance of swift and decisive action to preserve faith in the institution.&nbsp;<h2>‘Shortage of judges, complex legal procedures, and inadequate infrastructure reasons for backlog’</h2>&nbsp;The previous edition of the textbook, based on the 2005 National Curriculum Framework, covered the structure and role of the judiciary and issues like delay in disposal of cases but did not mention corruption in the judiciary.NCERT keeps revising textbooks, and the new books for Classes 1 to 8 have already been rolled out.&nbsp;The revised Class 8 textbook, with a chapter titled ‘The Role of the Judiciary in Our Society’, also cites shortage of judges, complex legal procedures, and inadequate infrastructure as reasons for the heavy backlog.

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant described the development as deep-rooted, adding that it appeared to be a calculated and conscious step. The Chief Justce also assured appropriate action on the subject.

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant took note of the mention of ‘corruption in the judiciary’ in a revised NCERT textbook chapter and informed members of the Bar on Wednesday that the Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognisance of it and asserted that he would not let anyone defame the institution. “I will not allow anyone on earth to defame the institution. Howsoever high they be, nobody is above the law. Do not worry… I know how to deal with it,” the CJI said in open court after some senior advocates urged the court to intervene. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal mentioned the issue before a bench also comprising Justice Joymalya Bagchi, saying the Bar was “deeply disturbed”. ‘Have already passed the order, taking matter suo motu’ “We are compelled to urgently mention this matter since we, at the Bar, are deeply disturbed. Children in Class 8 are being taught about ‘corruption in judiciary’. It is a part of the NCERT curriculum and their textbook,” Sibal submitted. Also Read: PM Modi greeted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on landing in Israel, to address Knesset The CJI responded that he was already aware of the development. “I am fully aware of it. I can assure you…it definitely concerns the entire institution. All stakeholders, judges in high courts are equally perturbed and have brought it to my notice. I am receiving lot of calls and messages,” he said. “I have already passed the order on the administrative side. We are taking the matter suo motu,” he added, indicating that the top court would initiate proceedings on its own motion. The CJI described the development as “deep-rooted,” adding that it appeared to be “a calculated and conscious step”. ‘Not a word about corruption in bureaucracy or politics’ Senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi pointed out that while the chapter mentioned corruption in the judiciary, there was “not a word” about corruption in other sectors like the bureaucracy or politics. Responding, Justice Bagchi observed that “constitutional morality, as envisaged in the basic structure, is missing”. “I can assure you we will take appropriate steps,” the CJI reiterated. Supreme Court Bar Association President Senior Advocate Vikas Singh later said in a remark to the media that the instance is completely shocking and merits action. "This is completely shocking... Do they have a sub-chapter with regard to the 40 % MLAs and MPs who have a serious criminal background? ... This kind of a message, if they want to give, they should give it about these MLAs and MPs... Corruption in the judiciary is far less than what it is in the executive and in politics,” he said.

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant described the development as deep-rooted, adding that it appeared to be a calculated and conscious step. The Chief Justce also assured appropriate action on the subject.&nbsp;

‘Will not let anyone defame institution’s integrity’: SC takes suo motu cognisance of ‘corruption in judiciary’ mention in NCERT book

The Supreme Court on Thursday (January 29) made observations on the role of trade unions in India’s industrial slowdown, with Chief Justice Surya Kant saying that aggressive unionism had contributed to the shutdown of many industrial establishments across the country. Questioning whether trade unions had aided or obstructed economic progress, the Chief Justice said several legacy industries collapsed due to confrontational union practices, calling them “flag-bearing unions.” He observed that a culture of work resistance and forceful leadership had undermined industrial growth.&nbsp;While recognising that labour exploitation remains a reality, the Chief Justice suggested that constructive reforms, such as skill enhancement and heightened awareness of individual labour rights, should have been emphasised rather than disruptive collective actions. These remarks came from a bench comprising CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi during the hearing of a public interest litigation filed by Penn Thozhilargal Sangam and other trade unions. The plea sought welfare safeguards for domestic workers, including their coverage under minimum wage laws.&nbsp;At the beginning of the hearing, the Chief Justice expressed hesitation in taking up the petition, warning that regulating household employment could trigger extensive litigation against individual families. Senior Advocate Raju Ramachandran, representing the petitioners, pointed out that countries such as Singapore require domestic workers to be registered and guarantee minimum pay, along with weekly rest days. Responding to this, the Chief Justice warned that welfare measures, though well-meaning, could sometimes backfire. He noted that imposing minimum wages without accounting for market demand might deter households from hiring domestic help, potentially leaving workers worse off.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pregnant-delhi-police-swat-commando-dies-after-husband-murders-her-with-dumbbell-chilling-phone-call-reveals-final-moments-of-delhi-police-officer-1769683713095">Pregnant Delhi Police SWAT commando dies after husband murders her with dumbbell. Chilling phone call reveals final moments of Delhi Police officer</a>&nbsp;When Ramachandran argued that collective bargaining had proven effective and clarified that the petitioners were registered unions, the Chief Justice reiterated his concerns about trade unions. This prompted the senior counsel to request restraint in making broad generalisations. The Court then turned its attention to employment agencies, which the Chief Justice described as the primary source of exploitation. Citing an example, he revealed that when the Supreme Court hired workers through an agency at ₹40,000 per person, the workers received only ₹19,000.&nbsp;He further observed that agency-driven employment weakens the trust-based relationship traditionally shared between households and domestic workers, potentially leading to wider social consequences. The Chief Justice also cautioned that enforcing minimum wages through union pressure could expose households to prolonged legal disputes.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-s-petroleum-minister-hardeep-singh-puri-speaks-to-wion-india-energy-week-1769684778969/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-s-petroleum-minister-hardeep-singh-puri-speaks-to-wion-india-energy-week-1769684778969/embed</a>&nbsp;In reply, Ramachandran argued that paying meagre wages amounted to bonded labour, relying on the Supreme Court’s judgment in Bandhua Mukti Morcha. He contended that excluding domestic workers from minimum wage protections violated Articles 21 and 23 of the Constitution. Ultimately, the bench declined to entertain the petition, holding that the reliefs sought effectively amounted to directing the legislature, an action beyond judicial authority. The plea was disposed of with a suggestion that state governments independently assess and address the grievances raised by domestic workers’ unions.

'Flag bearing unions': CJI Surya Kant criticises trade union practices hurting industry growth

The Supreme Court on Thursday (January 29) made observations on the role of trade unions in India’s industrial slowdown, with Chief Justice Surya Kant saying that aggressive unionism had contributed to the shutdown of many industrial establishments across the country. Questioning whether trade unions had aided or obstructed economic progress, the Chief Justice said several legacy industries collapsed due to confrontational union practices, calling them “flag-bearing unions.” He observed that a culture of work resistance and forceful leadership had undermined industrial growth. While recognising that labour exploitation remains a reality, the Chief Justice suggested that constructive reforms, such as skill enhancement and heightened awareness of individual labour rights, should have been emphasised rather than disruptive collective actions. These remarks came from a bench comprising CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi during the hearing of a public interest litigation filed by Penn Thozhilargal Sangam and other trade unions. The plea sought welfare safeguards for domestic workers, including their coverage under minimum wage laws. At the beginning of the hearing, the Chief Justice expressed hesitation in taking up the petition, warning that regulating household employment could trigger extensive litigation against individual families. Senior Advocate Raju Ramachandran, representing the petitioners, pointed out that countries such as Singapore require domestic workers to be registered and guarantee minimum pay, along with weekly rest days. Responding to this, the Chief Justice warned that welfare measures, though well-meaning, could sometimes backfire. He noted that imposing minimum wages without accounting for market demand might deter households from hiring domestic help, potentially leaving workers worse off. Also Read: Pregnant Delhi Police SWAT commando dies after husband murders her with dumbbell. Chilling phone call reveals final moments of Delhi Police officer When Ramachandran argued that collective bargaining had proven effective and clarified that the petitioners were registered unions, the Chief Justice reiterated his concerns about trade unions. This prompted the senior counsel to request restraint in making broad generalisations. The Court then turned its attention to employment agencies, which the Chief Justice described as the primary source of exploitation. Citing an example, he revealed that when the Supreme Court hired workers through an agency at ₹40,000 per person, the workers received only ₹19,000. He further observed that agency-driven employment weakens the trust-based relationship traditionally shared between households and domestic workers, potentially leading to wider social consequences. The Chief Justice also cautioned that enforcing minimum wages through union pressure could expose households to prolonged legal disputes. https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-s-petroleum-minister-hardeep-singh-puri-speaks-to-wion-india-energy-week-1769684778969/embed In reply, Ramachandran argued that paying meagre wages amounted to bonded labour, relying on the Supreme Court’s judgment in Bandhua Mukti Morcha. He contended that excluding domestic workers from minimum wage protections violated Articles 21 and 23 of the Constitution. Ultimately, the bench declined to entertain the petition, holding that the reliefs sought effectively amounted to directing the legislature, an action beyond judicial authority. The plea was disposed of with a suggestion that state governments independently assess and address the grievances raised by domestic workers’ unions.

The Supreme Court criticised aggressive trade unionism for industrial stagnation and declined a plea seeking minimum wages for domestic workers

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Delhi protests: 'Court should not be dragged into political activity', says CJI Surya Kant

SC takes suo motu cognisance of ‘corruption in judiciary’ mention in NCERT book

'Flag bearing unions': CJI blames trade union practices hurting industry growth