RAJESH RANJAN vs UNION OF INDIA AND ORS.

Judgment text excerpt

$~79 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + W.P.(C) 4965/2025 RAJESH RANJAN .....Petitioner Through: Mr. Gunjan Sinha, Advocate. versus UNION OF INDIA AND ORS. .....Respondent Through: Mr. Ripudaman Bhardwaj, CGSC with Mr. Kushagra Kumar, Mr. Abhinav Bhardwaj and Mr. Amit Kumar, Rana, Advocates for UOI. % Date of Decision: 21.04.2025 CORAM: HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE TUSHAR RAO GEDELA JUDGEMENT TUSHAR RAO GEDELA, J: (ORAL) 1. Present petition has been filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, inter alia, seeking the following reliefs:- “A. A writ in the nature of Mandamus do issue commanding the respondents to rescind/cancel/withdraw the impugned section 20 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 as having been rendered in – effective despite reportable judgment / order dated: 22-07-2024 passed in Civil Appeal nos. of 2024 [arising out of SLP (Civil) Nos. 19647-48 of 20221 S. Tirupathi Rao versus M. Lingamaiah & Ors with Civil Appeal Nos. of 2024 [arising out of SLP (Civil) Nos. 19748- 19749 of 2022] as ultra vires to the article 13, 14 and 20 of the Constitution of India ab initio; B. A writ in the nature of Certiorari do issue commanding the respondents to transmit entire records pertaining to Impugned Act No: 70 of 1971 namely the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 notified by the Ministry of Law & Justice, Government of India and on being so certified and after hearing the parties Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed W.P.(C) 4965/2025 Page 1 of 10 By:VINOD KUMAR Signing Date:29.04.2025 11:17:45 declare section 20 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 as ultra vires to the article 13, 14 and 20 of the Constitution of India ab initio; C. A writ in the nature of Declaration, declaring the impugned section 20 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 197