SSC
The Contempt of Courts Act was passed in India in:
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Answer: Option B — 1971
Detailed Solution
The Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 defines contempt of court and lays down the procedure and punishment for it. It was passed on the basis of the recommendations of a committee headed by H.N. Sanyal, then Additional Solicitor General, set up in 1961. It replaced the earlier Contempt of Courts Act, 1952.
The Constitution gives both the Supreme Court (Article 129) and the High Courts (Article 215) the status of "courts of record", with the power to punish for contempt of themselves. Contempt of court is also one of the grounds on which the freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a) can be reasonably restricted, under Article 19(2).
The Act divides contempt into two types:
Civil contempt: wilful disobedience of any judgment, decree, direction, order, writ or other process of a court, or wilful breach of an undertaking given to a court.
Criminal contempt: the publication (by words, signs or other means) of any matter, or the doing of any act, that scandalises or lowers the authority of any court, prejudices or interferes with the due course of any judicial proceeding, or obstructs the administration of justice.
The punishment for contempt may be simple imprisonment for up to six months, or a fine of up to ₹2,000, or both. The accused may be discharged, or the punishment remitted, if he or she makes an apology that satisfies the court.
In 2006, the Act was amended to make "truth" a valid defence, if the court is satisfied that it is in the public interest and the request for using this defence is made in good faith. Fair criticism of a judgment, fair and accurate reporting of judicial proceedings, and innocent publication are not contempt.
In the case concerning the lawyer Prashant Bhushan (2020), the Supreme Court held him guilty of criminal contempt for tweets about the judiciary and imposed a symbolic fine of one rupee.
Why not the other options?
- ✗1952 is the year of the earlier Contempt of Courts Act.
- ✗1976 is the year of the 42nd Amendment.
- ✗1985 is the year of the anti-defection law (52nd Amendment).
Quick tip
Remember: Contempt of Courts Act = 1971 (Sanyal Committee); civil and criminal contempt; up to 6 months or ₹2,000; truth as defence since 2006; courts of record = Articles 129 and 215.
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Judiciary — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Judiciary, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the Indian judiciary: the Supreme Court, High Courts and subordinate courts, the appointment and removal of judges, the collegium system, original, appellate and advisory jurisdiction, judicial review, public interest litigation, and bodies such as Lok Adalats and tribunals. Exams test the article that establishes the Supreme Court (Article 124), its advisory jurisdiction (Article 143), the power of High Courts to issue writs (Article 226), and the process for removing judges. Landmark judgments and the first holders of key judicial posts are also common, especially in law entrance exams such as CLAT and MAH LAW CET. Practise the judiciary questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.