India, April 9 -- Amid the ongoing controversy over the now-withdrawn National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) Class 8 social science textbook featuring a chapter on the judiciary, more than 50 academicians and scholars have written to President Droupadi Murmu, alleging that the Supreme Court's ban amounts to "judicial overreach" that "encroaches upon academic freedom".

In a letter dated April 7, the 51 signatories urged the President to intervene and ask the Union ministry of education to move the apex court to withdraw the ban and waive the "harsh punishment" imposed on Prof Michel Danino, noted educationist Suparna Diwakar and legal researcher Alok Prasanna Kumar. They said the issue has the potential for "far-rea...