The Supreme Court of India has imposed a “complete blanket ban… on any further publication, reprinting or digital dissemination” of the book, which was published last week by the country’s National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).

Images published by Indian media outlets show that the textbook – intended for pupils aged around 13 and 14 years old – made references to the “massive backlog” in most Indian courts.

It also included a section headlined “Corruption in the Judiciary”, which explained the Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct and the mechanisms for removing judges who “fail to uphold these standards”.

India’s chief justice, Surya Kant, said the book could damage the reputation of the judiciary, the BBC reports.

He reportedly said in court: “I will not allow anyone on Earth to taint the integrity and defame the entire institution [of the Indian judiciary].”

The director of NCERT and a senior Indian educational official have also been threatened with contempt for signing off on the disputed text.

NCERT has denied any “intent to question or diminish the authority of any constitutional body” and has said it will revise the book.