[Prashant Bhushan Contempt Case Over Two Tweets] LIVE UPDATES From Supreme Court
J Mishra : Going to press, making a tweet by a lawyer of a standing of Mr. Prashant Bhushan carries some weight. It affects the public.
J Mishra : I belong to old class. I have reprimanded lawyers for going to press in pending cases. There is a difference between an officer of the court and a politician. If you are going to press for everything, you are over identifying without your causes.
Justice Mishra : This is not the way a senior lawyer like Prashant Bhushan over 30 years of experience should behave.
Justice Mishra says it is "painful" to read all the statements of the Bhushan and his justifications.
C U Singh : If Section 13 of the Contempt of Courts Act is taken into account, there need not be a sentence, even if the conviction is maintained, as there is no substantial interference with administration of justice.
Senior Adv C U Singh permitted by the Court to make a submission as "an officer of the Court".
"AG has taken the position as an elder statesman of the bar"
Dhavan : The effect of the punishment could be, he will be made a martyr. Please do not do that. He does not want martyrdom.
Dhavan : If Bhushan is punished, there will be one set of articles calling him a martyr and another set of articles saying he was rightly punished. We all want this controversy to end. This can end only by judicial statesmanship.
Dhavan : Second is the punishments prescribed in the Contempt of Courts Act.
But my respectful submission is - don't make Prashant Bhushan a martyr.
Justice Mishra : If the Court decides to punish him, what can be the punishment?
Dhavan : One punishment which the court has given in cases is to bar the contemnor from appearing in the Court.