Delhi Judicial Service Association Tis ... vs State Of Gujarat And Ors. Etc-Etc on 11 September, 1991
In this connection it is necessary to refer to the decision in Delhi Judicial Service Association v. State of Gujarat, . In that decision, in the context, of Article 20(3) of the Constitution of India, the Supreme Court held that procedure for criminal contempt is not a criminal proceeding for it is punishable by the superior Courts by fine or imprisonment, but it has many characteristics which distinguishes it from ordinary offence. The proceeding is a quasi-criminal in character. Therefore, aforesaid contention too cannot be sustained.