The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to list next week a plea seeking initiation of contempt action against Bharatiya Janata Party’s Lok Sabha member Nishikant Dubey for his controversial remarks against the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice of India, Justice Sanjiv Khanna.

The advocate Narendra Mishra – who has approached the top court seeking initiation of contempt action against Nishikant Dubey – mentioned the plea before a bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih saying letters were given to Attorney General R. Venkataramani and the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta seeking their nod for the initiation of contempt proceedings against BJP MP but no action being taken.

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Advocate Mishra said that Nishikant Dubey has said that the Chief Justice of India, Justice Sanjiv Khanna is responsible for the civil wars in India, and after his speech went viral, social media users used derogatory tag phrases for the Supreme Court.

The petitioner advocate urged the top court to give direction to remove social media posts and videos that are derogatory and contemptuous towards the judiciary. “These statements are false, reckless, and malicious, and they amount to criminal contempt,” Mishra has said in his letter petition.

Mishra said Dubey is an elected Member of Parliament and has shown gross disregard for constitutional remedies and chose to incite public distrust by misrepresenting the judicial process.

“His remark that the Supreme Court is “inciting religious wars” for agreeing to hear petitions – including those challenging the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 – amounts to a direct interference in the administration of justice, and falsely portrays constitutional scrutiny as political interference,” his petition stated.

Saying that such acts, especially from a sitting lawmaker, cannot be brushed aside as mere political commentary, the petitioner advocate asked the top court to suo moto initiate criminal contempt proceedings against Dubey.

He further stated, “They are a deliberate attempt to intimidate the judiciary, incite public disorder, and delegitimize the institution entrusted with protecting the Constitution.”

Dubey had made the statement following the top court by its April 8, 2025, judgment fixed timeline for the President and Governors to give assent to Bills passed by the State legislatures and its intervention in the Waqf (Amendment) Act matter.

Some lawyers have also written letters to the Attorney General R Venkataramani, demanding initiation of contempt proceedings against Dubey for his remarks.

Dubey has reportedly said that “Supreme Court is taking the country towards anarchy” and that “the Chief Justice of India, Justice Sanijv Khanna is responsible for the civil wars taking place in the country”.

Letters were written by advocates Anas Tanwir, Shiv Kumar Tripathi and others seeking contempt of court proceedings against Dubey saying that his “grossly scandalous remarks are aimed at lowering the dignity” of the top court.

Advocate Subhash Theekkadan has sought initiating criminal contempt proceedings against the Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, in light of public statements made by him which he said amount to a “direct attack on the authority and dignity” of the Supreme Court.

As per the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, a private individual can file a contempt of court petition in the Supreme Court only after obtaining the consent of the Attorney General or the Solicitor General.

The BJP MP had claimed the Supreme Court was taking the country towards anarchy.

On April 19, the BJP MP had said that the Parliament and Assemblies should be shut if the top court is dictating laws and that Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna is “responsible for civil wars” in the country.

Last week, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar questioned the judiciary for setting a timeline for the President to decide whether or not to assent to state Bills referred to the President by a Governor.

Dhankhar further blamed the Supreme Court for acting as a “super Parliament” and said it cannot fire a “nuclear missile” at democratic forces.