New Delhi, Aug 17 (IANS): A petition was moved in the Supreme Court Thursday seeking the initiation of contempt of court proceedings against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her allegations of corruption in judiciary.

Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party chairman Bhim Singh urged the apex court to initiate contempt proceedings against Banerjee or take any other legal action.

The petition said that the words spoken by the chief Minister amounted to "scandalising" the judiciary which had "lowered the authority of the judiciary as a whole".

Bhim Singh said that Banarjee should be hauled up for the contempt of court within the meaning and scope of Article 129 of the constitution.

The petition also sought direction to the central government to make available the entire record of the speeches of Banerjee on alleged corruption in judiciary.

Speaking on the occasion of the state assembly's platinum jubilee celebrations Tuesday, Banerjee alleged corruption among a section of the judiciary.

Her comment on the judiciary came a day after the state human rights commission slapped a Rs.50,000 fine on police for arresting a Jadavpur University professor, Ambikesh Mahapatra, in April for circulating e-mails containing cartoons on the chief minister and other Trinamool Congress leaders.

The chief minister's allegations drew criticism from all quarters, including lawyers and former judges.

The petition said that Banarjee used "highly undesirable, unhealthy and contemptuous language against the judiciary which deserves the attention of the highest court of the country".

Bhim Singh sought appropriate steps to "uphold the sanctity and credibility of the judiciary".

The petition said that allegation against the judiciary by Banerjee became serious as she was a popular leader.

"The judiciary is the most important pillar of democracy, rather the entire democracy and constitutional proprietary rests on the foundation of the judiciary. The judiciary is not an individual but the soul of democracy," the petition said.

The "parliamentary system in India is passing through a serious crisis...corruption in political society" was like cancer and this democracy must survive in the interest of world democracies, the petition said.