Public interest litigation abuse and contempt: Supreme Court rejected a petition containing denigrating allegations against constitutional institutions.

A writ petition filed as a public interest litigation was found to contain intemperate, denigrating and contradictory pleadings aimed at lowering the prestige of the Court and other constitutional institutions. The Supreme Court treated the petition as an irresponsible exercise in mud-slinging rather than a bona fide public interest action, and recorded a prima facie view that the conduct was designed to bring the Court into contempt. The petition was dismissed, the Registry was directed to initiate contempt proceedings, and the petitioner was restrained from filing public interest litigation in future.

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Issues: Whether the writ petition, presented as a public interest litigation, was liable to be dismissed for containing intemperate and denigrating allegations against the Court and other institutions, and whether the conduct disclosed prima facie contempt.

Analysis: The petition was found to be couched in unsavoury and careless language, with pleadings described as meaningless, contradictory, clumsy, and intended to lower the prestige of the Court and other constitutional institutions. The filing was treated as an irresponsible attempt to indulge in mud-slinging rather than a bona fide public interest action, and the Court recorded a prima facie view that it was designed to bring the Court into contempt.

Conclusion: The writ petition was dismissed, contempt proceedings were directed to be initiated by the Registry, and the petitioner was restrained from filing public interest litigation in future.

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