BAL THACKREY vs HARISH PIMPALKHUTE

The Supreme Court addressed the initiation of contempt proceedings under Section 15 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, distinguishing between suo motu actions and those initiated by parties. The Court emphasized that the directions from P.N. Duda's case regarding the procedure for contempt petitions must be adhered to, particularly the requirement for the Chief Justice's involvement. The Court expressed doubts about the correctness of the Duda decision, leading to a referral for reconsideration by a larger bench, thus holding that the existing practice may not align with legal standards.