Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Friday (March 13, 2026) termed the Supreme Court’s latest directions over a Class 8 textbook chapter referring to “corruption in judiciary” as “judicial overreach”. She urged the government to ensure that all three branches of governance — the legislature, executive, and judiciary — remain equal under the law and open to scrutiny.
Last month, the Supreme Court imposed a blanket ban on the Class 8 Social Science textbook brought out by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) that carried the controversial chapter. On Wednesday (March 11), the court expressed dissatisfaction with what it described as a “laconic” affidavit submitted by the NCERT. It then directed the education body to “disassociate” from the three-member Textbook Development Team that drafted the chapter and barred the members from holding any future role funded fully or partially by public money.
NCERT issues ‘unconditional, unqualified apology’ over textbook with reference to ‘corruption’ in judiciary
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Ms. Chaturvedi said the judiciary’s initial decision to ban the chapter was understandable if it felt unfairly targeted. “Up to that point, we felt it was fine,” she said. “But the matter did not end there. Those involved kept pushing it further, saying that if anyone criticises on social media, the Supreme Court will take action.”
