Patna, Jan 22: Court will hear contempt case against Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi and RJD president Laloo Prasad Yadav for interference in administration of justice by having called up the Chief Justice to express displeasure over the judicial custody of the state's Chief Secretary. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Ravi S Dhavan and Justice Shashank Kumar Singh said that they were adjourning the hearing to enable the AG Shashi Anugrah Narayan to grant his consent in the matter, which is mandatory under contempt of court act for proceeding against a chief minister.
State counsel V N Sinha told the bench that since the AG was out of town, his consent on the matter was yet to be obtained. The same bench had yesterday adjourned the hearing of the case for today as the AG did not appear before the court.

"It is an important matter. The AG should apply his mind and take a decision at the earliest", the judges observed.

The petitioners' counsel Ram Suresh Rai argued that under Article 215 of the constitution, the consent of AG in the matter was not mandatory and the court should take suo motu notice of the contempt petition.

Bureau Report