NEW DELHI: India’s Supreme Court has issued a show-cause notice to the president and all office-bearers of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee over a post on the party’s official X account containing remarks directed at Chief Justice of India Surya Kant.

The court asked the state Congress leadership to explain why criminal or civil contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them over the publication.

The bench said judicial independence could not be compromised by political considerations, while affirming that the court’s judgments remained open to criticism.

“Independence of the judiciary is not a matter of political convenience,” it said.

The court said freedom of expression could not serve as protection for attempts to intimidate the justice system, regardless of the power or influence of the person or organisation involved.

It also said the Constitution was supreme and that no institution or political party could claim to be above it. Any attempt to undermine its authority must be dealt with firmly, the bench said.

The law must take its course irrespective of the identity or influence of those responsible for the publication, the court added.

Expressing concern about the wider implications for public institutions, the bench warned that allowing such remarks to go unchecked could expose other institutions to similar treatment.

“We operate within the four corners of the Constitution,” it said.