JUDGMENT

A. K. Ganguly, C.J.—This petition under Section 15 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 has been filed by one Prasanta Kumar Nayak, who describes himself as a Member of the Indian Administrative Service (Orissa Cadre) with a prayer for initiating a suo motu proceeding for criminal contempt against opposite party No. 1 Mrs. Harapriya Barik @ Tarai.

2. Learned counsel submits that the petitioner is invoking the Court’s jurisdiction under Section 15 of the Contempt of Courts Act, but the consent of the Advocate General, which is required to be taken before invoking this jurisdiction, has not been obtained. The learned counsel submitted that he is seeking to initiate a suo motu proceeding of criminal contempt against opposite party No.1 for the statements allegedly made by her.

3. In support of the petitioner’s case for initiating a suo motu proceeding for criminal contempt against opposite party No.1, learned counsel placed reliance on certain materials.

4. The Court’s attention was first drawn to an affidavit dated 28.7.1999 by opposite party No.1 before the Court of Executive Magistrate, Cuttack and then to the letter dated 29.7.1999 of opposite party No.1 addressed to the t