Haridas Das vs Smt. Usha Rani Banik & Ors

The Supreme Court addressed the issue of contempt of court arising from derogatory remarks made by the contemnor against judicial officers, emphasizing that such statements undermine the authority of the judiciary and public confidence in it. The Court held that 'judge bashing' cannot be tolerated as it is detrimental to the functioning of democracy and the independence of the judiciary. The Court initiated contempt proceedings against the contemnor for making contemptuous statements in his application and subsequent replies, reinforcing the principle that constructive criticism is acceptable, but contemptuous language is not.