Mumbai, Oct 16, 2026 15:04 ISTShiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said on Friday that he was prepared to offer an apology if the Supreme Court determined that his recent remarks about the judiciary were inappropriate, according to the Press Trust of India. Raut emphasized that neither he nor his party had any intention of committing contempt of court. His remarks followed observations made a day earlier by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant during a hearing concerning a plea related to an opposition protest march.
During the proceedings, the Supreme Court remarked that it was fully aware of statements made both outside and inside the courtroom, asserting that nobody could browbeat the judiciary. Although various reports linked the remarks to political figures like Rahul Gandhi, Sanjay Raut, or Akhilesh Yadav, Raut noted that the court had not explicitly named anyone. Nevertheless, he expressed his willingness to submit an apology if necessary.
Addressing reporters, Raut stated that he saw no issue in apologizing to the Supreme Court as the guardian of the Indian Constitution, should the bench decide his position as a petitioner involved inappropriate commentary. At the same time, he urged the judiciary to address opposition concerns regarding alleged irregularities in the electoral rolls and the deletion of millions of voter names.
Raut also pointed to ongoing delays surrounding the legal battle over the name and symbol of the undivided Shiv Sena, which divided following a 2022 political rebellion. Highlighting that four and a half years had passed and multiple Chief Justices had overseen the matter, Raut appealed for a definitive verdict, reiterating that his primary focus remained the pursuit of judicial resolution.