Opposing counsels who are constantly at loggerheads in the Supreme Court were aligned late last month. The suo motu case taken up by the Supreme Court, regarding a school textbook chapter, brought them together. Later, the government too agreed with them. In that rare moment, they collectively chastised the National Council for Education Research and Training (NCERT) for a section in a chapter titled The Role of Judiciary in our Society in the Class VIII social science textbook. One of the portions in this dealt with corruption in the judiciary, mentioned the code of conduct that governs judges, the accountability mechanisms, and went on to say that, despite these systems, corruption did exist and that those who are most affected are the marginalised. It ended by saying, “Hence, efforts are constantly being made at the state and Union levels to build faith and increase transparency in the judicial system, including through the use of technology, and to take swift and decisive action against instances of corruption wherever they may arise.”

A box highlighted a quote by BR Gavai, former Chief Justice of India, that corruption in the judiciary leads to the erosion of public confidence in the system, and there is a need for quick and transparent action and corrective measures. This entire section is a description of a complex reality. Yet, the Court said it had been written in a reckless, irresponsible, contemptuous, and motivated manner. The Court seemed to have been even more offended that the NCERT director defended........

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