Key Points:
Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi criticised the Supreme Court’s decision to dissociate Professor Michael Danino and two academics from public-funded institutions over the NCERT Class 8 chapter on judicial corruption. She called the verdict judicial overreach and dictatorship.
The controversy stems from a Supreme Court judgment on the NCERT Social Science textbook chapter mentioning corruption in the judiciary. The Court also sought an apology from NCERT and warned against social media criticism.
Speaking in Rajya Sabha during Zero Hour, Chaturvedi argued that all institutions should remain accountable and open to scrutiny. She urged the Union Law Minister to intervene to prevent institutional imbalance in the democratic framework.
“The Supreme Court banning Professor Michael Danino and two others for their role in the NCERT textbook, is nothing short of judicial overreach and judicial dictatorship,” said Priyanka Chaturvedi. Speaking today (March 13, 2026), at the zero hour session in the Rajya Sabha, she criticised the Supreme Court’s decision of disassociating the academics involved in drafting the NCERT Class 8 Social Sciences textbook that mentioned “Corruption in Judiciary”.
The controversy stems from a recent Supreme Court judgment addressing a chapter in an NCERT textbook that discussed judicial corruption. While Chaturvedi expressed understanding for the judiciary's initial reaction to the textbook, she vehemently opposed the subsequent punitive actions taken against the authors.
Addressing the chairperson CP Radhakrishnan in the Rajya Sabha, the Shiv Sena MP from Maharashtra said that while a blanket ban on the textbook chapter might have been justifiable if the judiciary felt unfairly singled out, the subsequent actions crossed a line. She also said that the Supreme Court warned against social media criticism of the subject, and that strict action would be taken against those engaged in such activities. The Court also demanded an apology from the NCERT, which it issued (NCERT issued unconditional and unqualified apology on March 10, 2026), she added.
However, Chaturvedi was not in favour of the Supreme Court’s verdict of March 11, 2026. "With all due respect to the Supreme Court of India and our judicial process, the CJI-led bench further stated that Prof. Michael Danino and two other academics should have no place in any role involving public-funded or government institutions. This, I believe, is judicial overreach and judicial dictatorship, Sir", she remarked.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and VM Pancholi delivered the aforementioned verdict on March 11, 2026. The Court was hearing a suo motu writ petition concerning the chapter. In its order, the Court stated that Professor Michael Danino (Chairperson for the NCERT Social Science Curriculum), and academics Suparna Diwakar and Alok Prassana Kumar be dissociated from any public funded institutions.
Priyanka Chaturvedi, while strongly criticising this verdict of the judiciary, pointed out the overly defensive position of the body. She said: “When politicians face corruption charges, investigations take place, and action is duly taken against them. It happens in police forces, bureaucracy, with individual citizens, and corporates, but the judiciary becomes so sensitive when corruption is mentioned."
To emphasize her point, she cited a recent case involving a sitting High Court judge who faced an impeachment motion after crores of illicit cash were allegedly found at his residence. Chaturvedi was referring to Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Court. She noted that despite ongoing discussions in Parliament, the judge was merely transferred rather than facing strict punitive action.
Concluding her address, Chaturvedi stressed the importance of checks and balances, warning that absolute supremacy by any single branch of government poses a threat to the country's democratic framework. She said: "I believe our three branches of governance should be equal in law, equal in accountability, and open to scrutiny. Any kind of dysfunctionality or supremacy in that will lead to a problematic situation for the nation to handle."
Following her remarks, Chaturvedi appealed to the Union Law Minister (Arjun Ram Meghwal), through Speaker C.P. Radhakrishnan, to intervene and ensure that such instances of "judicial dictatorship" do not set a precedent that could create institutional imbalances in the future.
(Rh/GP)
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