The SC had a stern message for netas You shall not insult top constitutional functionaries like the chief minister or Prime Minister just because they are not from your political party.

Today, such derogatory language is used for a CM, tomorrow it could be used for Prime Minister. You cannot insult PM and CMs just because they are not from your political party. People must show respect for them. Even otherwise what has the CM got to do with it. This is irresponsible. Tell your supporters not to do that, Justice Madan B Lokur said on Tuesday.

The judge was addressing lawyers of BJP MLA Om Prakash Sharma and municipal councillor Gunjan Gupta, who had been summoned to the court after it initiated contempt proceedings against them for obstructing a sealing drive in Shahdara area.

Both were present in the court.

The bench, however, dropped the contempt proceedings saying it has gone through the CD containing video footage of the protest, and it appeared that Sharma and Gupta were not obstructing the authorities.

But it was found that their supporters were waving BJP flags and also raising slogans insulting Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Ok, you were not obstructing sealing but waving the flag of a particular party and insulting the chief minister of Delhi. How can you do that? He is a responsible person. You cannot insult the CM of Delhi or of any state. It is clear that you want to convey that you can do anything...you are destroying the institution, Lokur told the lawyers representing Sharma and Gupta.

On February 10, the bench had issued contempt notices against the MLA and councillor while directing the Delhi Police to take action against violators without fear and being influenced in any manner even if the culprit is a big fish.

Let the monitoring committee be provided proper security so that they are in a position to carry out their duties even if the state authorities do not deem it fit to carry out their duty in accordance with law, Justice Lokur had ordered.

The notices came after senior advocate Ranjit Kumar, assisting the court, informed the bench about the gathering called by Sharma and Gupta to allegedly stall the drive.

The SC had earlier ordered restoration of its monitoring panel to identify and seal offending structures. The committee was set up on March 24, 2006.