AIR 1981 SUPREME COURT 723 ::1981 CriAppR(SC) 86 ::(1981) AllCriC 75 ::(1981) AllCriR 69 ::(1981) Mad LJ(Cri) 281 ::1981 SCC(Cri) 175 ::1981 (1) SCC 436 ::(1981) All WC 98 ::1981 (1) SCJ 415 ::1981 (2) SCR 331 ::(1981) CurLJ(CCR) 73

Supreme Court Of India

(From: 1974 Cri LJ 962 (All))

Hon'ble Judge(s): R. S. Sarkaria, O. Chinnappa Reddy , JJ

(A) Constitution of India , Art.129, Art.215— Scope of - Power of High Court to punish for contempt of itself - Ambit of. Contempt of Courts Act (70 of 1971) , Preamble— Arts.129 and 215 preserve all the powers of the Supreme Court and the High Court, respectively, as a Court of Record which include the power to punish the contempt of itself. There are no curbs on the power of the High Court to punish for contempt of itself except those contained in the Contempt of Courts Act. Arts. 129 and 215 do not define as to what constitutes contempt of Court. Parliament has, by virtue of the Entries 77 and 14 in List I and List III respectively of the Seventh Schedule, power to define and limit the powers of the Courts in punishing contempt of Court and to regulate their procedure in relation thereto. Indeed, this is what is stated in the preamble of the Act of 1971.(Para 14) (B) Contempt of Courts Act (70 of 1971) , S.10— Constitution of India , Art.227— Phrase "Courts subordinate to it"- Meaning - Court of Revenue Board is a Court subordinate to High Court within S. 10 The phrase "Courts subordinate to it"as used in S. 10 is wide enough to include all Courts which are judicially subordinate to the High Court, even though administrative....