Contempt of Court results from a failure to obey the order of a Court. It amounts to showing disrespect to the Judge. Failing to obey the Court order could amount to wanton disruption of the Court's proceedings . It is very rarely and that too only in extreme cases that a court resorts to issuing contempt notice.

The Supreme Court on Monday threatened to issue arrest warrants against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, Union Transport Minister T R Baalu and four others for failing to respond to a contempt notice on the Sethusamudram bandh row.

The apex court, in October last year, had issued contempt notices to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and five others for going ahead with the October 1 state-wide bandh on the Sethusamudram issue despite the bench restraining them.



At that time, the apex court had also threatened to recommend to the President of India dismissal of the State government.

The bench took a serious view after noting that the Chief Minister and others failed to file their reply to the contempt notice issued by it. The bench regretted that though the Tamil Nadu government has been seeking time and adjournments frequently for filing the response on a show cause notice, it pointed out that on March 31st this year they sought four weeks time to file their replies but failed to do so.

Two of the alleged contemnors had responded on July 30, while others didn't. This is a serious enough act, amounting to contempt.

The Court has been generous now, to grant another and perhaps the last four week's time to enable them to respond.

The Government of Tamil Nadu could have and should have filed its reply in time.Let us hope the Tamil Nadu Government, true to its record of showing respect to the Judiciary would file its response soon and avoid any further complication.