New Delhi, August 20: Lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan on Thursday declined the Supreme Court's offer for time to reconsider his statement made in the top court in the contempt case. During the hearing on quantum of sentence in the contempt proceedings in which Bhushan has been held guilty, he said that his statements were "well-considered and well thought of", reported Live Law.

The lawyer-activist said that he did not want to reconsider his statement. He added that giving time for reconsideration would not serve any purpose. Bhushan stated that he stood by his tweets. Bhushan, in his statement, said, "I do not ask for mercy. I do not appeal to magnanimity. I am here, therefore, to cheerfully submit to any penalty that can lawfully be inflicted upon me for what the court has determined to be an offence, and what appears to me to be the highest duty of a citizen." Contempt Case: Supreme Court Rejects Submission of Prashant Bhushan for Hearing on Sentence by Another Bench.

He added, "My tweets were out of a bona fide attempt to discharge my duty as a citizen. I would have been failing in my duty if I did not speak up at this juncture of history. I submit to any penalty which the court may inflict. It would be contemptuous on my part to offer an apology."

Copy of Prashant Bhushan's Statement:

Prashant Bhushan's Statement (Photo Credits: Twitter)

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court gave the 63-year-old lawyer two-three days "to reconsider" his statement. While hearing, Justice Arun Mishra said, "There is no person on Earth who cannot commit a mistake. You may do hundreds good things but that doesn't give you a license to do 10 crimes. Whatever has been done is done. But we want the person concerned to have a sense of remorse." Prashant Bhushan Files Plea Seeking Deferment of SC Hearing on His Sentencing in Contempt of Court Case.

The top court also rejected Bhushan's request to defer the hearing on his sentencing for contempt. The top court also said freedom of speech is not absolute for anyone. The bench also comprising Justices B R Gavi and Krishna Murari told senior advocate Dushyant Dave, representing Bhushan, that he is asking them to commit an "act of impropriety" by saying that argument on sentencing be heard by another bench.

The top court on August 14 held Bhushan guilty of criminal contempt for his tweets on Chief Justice of India SA Bobde and the Supreme Court, saying they cannot be said to be a fair criticism of the functioning of the judiciary made in the public interest.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 20, 2020 04:05 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).