18/05/2026
https://thejharkhandstory.co.in/judicial-dignity-contempt-jurisdiction-and-constitutional-restraint/
The law of criminal contempt exists to preserve the dignity of judicial administration — not to insulate constitutional institutions from reasoned constitutional debate.
I recently wrote a short article titled:
“Judicial Dignity and Constitutional Restraint – A Personal Reflection on Contempt Jurisdiction”
The piece examines:
- the constitutional distinction between institutional injury and personal grievance,
- the jurisprudence surrounding recusal and reasonable apprehension,
- the scope of Section 2(c) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971,
- and the importance of restraint in exercise of extraordinary jurisdiction.
The article is written with complete respect for the judiciary and for the indispensable role constitutional courts play in preserving democracy and rule of law.
At the same time, mature constitutional democracies must retain space for careful legal scrutiny, appellate review and principled institutional dialogue.
Appellate scrutiny, after all, is not institutional weakness, it is constitutional strength.
Judicial dignity, contempt jurisdiction and constitutional restraint
