Contempt Of Courts Act, 1971 As Amended by The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019

This 2025 edition of The Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 (Act 70 of 1971) reproduces the statute verbatim and incorporates the territorial updates stemming from the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 (34 of 2019, w.e.f. 31-10-2019 via S.O. 2889 E, 9-8-2019).

Bound into the volume are the complete, updated texts of:

• Rules to Regulate Proceedings for Contempt of the Supreme Court, 1975

• Contempt of Courts (C.A.T.) Rules, 1992

• Model Forms for initiating suo-motu and motion-by-party contempt petitions

Concise short comments follow pivotal sections—flagging the “truth” defence amendment (2016), proportional-sentencing precedents, and electronic-media publication triggers—while preserving full Bare-Act integrity for examinations and courtroom citation.

Core statutory coverage

• Definition & classification—civil v. criminal contempt; what constitutes “scandalising the court,” “lowering authority,” and “interference with justice”

• Jurisdiction & limitation—High Courts and Supreme Court powers; one-year bar for motion-made contempts

• Defences & safeguards—fair criticism, bona-fide reporting, and post-2016 truth-in-public-interest defence

• Procedure & punishment—summary trial, standard of proof, apology doctrine, and sentencing (imprisonment up to six months or fine up to ₹ 2,000)

• Appeals & review—intra-court appeal mechanics, special-leave petitions, and CAT-specific routes under the 1992 Rules

• Contempt by corporations & government departments—vicarious liability of directors, officers, and secretaries

This edition is particularly suited for

• AIBE candidates and law students studying constitutional law, judicial process, and media-law modules

• Advocates, journalists, editors, and social-media managers assessing publication risk and permissible criticism

• Judges, court officers, and tribunal registrars referencing authoritative rules and model petition formats

• Policy analysts and academics researching freedom-of-speech interplay with judicial authority

Exact Gazette text · pinpoint explanatory notes · zero superfluous commentary—your quickest path to clarity, authenticity, and practical insight on India’s contempt-jurisdiction regime.