New Delhi, Oct. 16 -- The Supreme Court on Thursday asserted that "nobody can browbeat the judiciary" as it agreed to examine a plea seeking a regulatory framework for protests and processions in the vicinity of the top court, in the wake of an October 12 march by Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, and their supporters towards the Supreme Court over alleged electoral irregularities. A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notice on the petition, which also seeks criminal contempt proceedings against Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and TMC MP Mahua Moitra, among others. "No contempt today. We are only issuing notices," the bench told senior advocate Gaurav Bhatia. When Bhatia referred to lawyers apprehending attempts to browbeat the judiciary through scandalising statements, the CJI said, "These are fragile statements and nobody can browbeat the judiciary." htc...