The Law of Contempt of Court

"Law of Contempt of Court", Third Edition, by Mr. Asim Pandya is a very unique treatise on the subject 'contempt of court'. The book features intricate facets of the law of contempt in a lucid and simple way. The book is well-structured and designed in a user-friendly manner. It is divided in to two main sections.

• The first section contains 20 chapters covering the entire law on the subject 'contempt of court.'
• The second part (Appendices) is a collection of the enacted laws, rules, reports of various committees and other relevant material.

The book is not merely a compilation of the case law on the subject; but it contains analysis of all important issues and reflects the personal views of the author also.

The most prominent topics on which author's erudition can be discerned are "Truth or justification as defense', 'Distinctions between civil and criminal contempt', 'Contempt proceeding whether a substitute for execution proceeding', 'Purging contempt', 'Contempt in the face of the court' and 'Contempt by a Judge, Magistrate etc.

The author has viewed the definition of the term "Court" for the purposes of law of contempt from a totally different angle. The concept of purging contempt has been discussed elaborately and its application in India in a strange manner by the Supreme Court of India has been analyzed critically by the author. Chapter 13 on the subject 'Contempt by a Judge, Magistrate etc.' is very interesting and it gives a new dimension to the vexed issue i.e. 'Can a Judge of superior court be prosecuted for contempt under section 16 of the Act?

A recent controversy on Justice Karnan's acts and omissions constituting contempt of court and the decision of the Supreme Court thereon has been critically examined in the book. The recent decision of the Supreme Court in Re Vijay Kurle, Re Prashant Bhushan and the decision of the Gujarat High Court Re Yatin Oza have also been analyzed and commented in detail in this book. On the right of appeal under Section 19 of the Act also a non-conventional but a plausible view has been expressed by the author after thorough study of the case law on the subject.

In short, this book will certainly serve as a useful guide for the proper understanding of the law of contempt with the latest case law on the subject. The book covers almost all important decisions of the Supreme Court of India.