Supreme Court adjourns hearing in 2009 contempt case against Prashant Bhushan, Tarun Tejpal

The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned the hearing to August 4 the 2009 contempt case against activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan and journalist Tarun Tejpal after senior advocates representing them sought time to prepare.

A bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra said it would give time to the lawyers representing the alleged contemnors to prepare and adjourned the matter for August 4.

Senior advocate Shanti Bhushan, who is an intervener in the case, said he found it very difficult to advance arguments through video conferencing and it would be better if the case was heard after the normal hearing begins.

Advocate Rajeev Dhavan, appearing for Bhushan, said this case had been pending for the past 9-10 years and they needed time to prepare for it.

The bench said that even constitution bench matters were now being heard through video conferencing.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Tarun Tejpal, said: "If we have waited for nine years, then I don't understand what the urgency is."

The apex court had issued a contempt notice to Bhushan and Tejpal in November 2009 for allegedly casting aspersions on some sitting and former top court judges in an interview to a news magazine. Tejpal was the editor of the news magazine.