Comedian Kunal Kamra, cartoonist Rachita Taneja have been given contempt notices from the Supreme Court for their criticism of the top court in tweets and illustrations respectively.
The apex court has given them six weeks to respond.
The Supreme Court has asked them to explain why contempt actions should not be taken against them for "scandalising the judiciary".
Kunal Kamra faces contempt cases over his tweets attacking at top court for granting TV anchor Arnab Goswami bail after his arrest in an abetment to suicide case. Eight people, mostly lawyers, have filed cases against him.
A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R S Reddy and M R Shah sought response from the two in six weeks on the notices issued in two separate cases. It, however, exempted them from personal appearances in the cases.
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The top court had reserved its order on Thursday on a batch of pleas seeking initiation of contempt proceedings against Kamra and Taneja.
Attorney General K K Venugopal had granted consent for initiation of criminal contempt proceedings against Kamra, saying the tweets were in "bad taste" and it was time that people understand that attacking the apex court brazenly would attract punishment under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1972.
Similarly, the attorney general had given consent to initiate criminal contempt proceedings against Taneja, stating that the posts were intended to denigrate the Supreme Court and lower its authority in the eyes of the public.
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The consent of either the attorney general or the solicitor general is necessary under section 15 of the Contempt of Courts Act for initiating contempt proceedings against a person.
Criminal contempt of the Supreme Court is punishable with a fine up to Rs 2,000 and imprisonment up to six months.
With PTI inputs
