SC defers consideration of review petitions by Bhushan in contempt case

The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed a plea by advocate Prashant Bhushan to defer considering his review petitions against conviction and sentence in a contempt case till the top court decided his another plea for intra court appeal in such cases.

A bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar, B R Gavai, and Krishna Murari allowed a plea made in his application filed on Tuesday "in the interest of justice".

Taking up the matter inside the chamber, the court directed that his review petitions would be listed after disposal of writ petition.

Bhushan on Tuesday filed the plea in the top court, asking it to first decide his writ petition for intra court appeal in Suo Motu contempt cases.

He asked the court to direct that his review petition against the order of conviction passed on August 14 and the sentence on August 31 should be heard after his writ petition was adjudicated upon.

His writ petition filed earlier on September 12 sought a right of intra-court appeal for a person convicted for criminal contempt by the top court, before a larger and different bench.

It also sought framing of rules and guidelines providing for intra-court appeal against conviction in original criminal contempt cases.

On September 14, Bhushan again filed an application for urgent hearing of his writ petition, saying its outcome will have a direct and substantial bearing on the adjudication of the review petition.

"Despite prayers in that petition having a direct bearing on this review petitions that matter has not been listed before this court whereas instant and connected review petitions have been suddenly listed for hearing on December 16, 2020," his application read.

Bhushan was fined Re one which he already deposited but he sought review of both the order of conviction and sentence, saying the court has failed to consider the context or deal with the explanation offered by him for his tweets posted in June this year.