Justice S N Kapoor issued the notices on Tuesday to the Editor (Delhi market), Times of India, and the Editor-in-Chief of The Statesman, on the petition filed through the panchayat's president Ramesh Dalal for publishing the minister's statements. The replies are to be filed by November 13.

The petition said after having sufficient knowledge of the court order scrapping the nationalisation scheme of the Delhi Government and bringing back the private Blueline buses on road, the minister made statements at a press conference which amounted to interference in the administration of justice.

Petitioner's counsel Rajiv Sharma produced copies of the minister's statements thatappeared in the two papers in reaction to the High Court order of August 25, allowing Bluelines to return on Delhi roads.

The report published in the Times of India on August 28 quoted him as saying, ``If the courts wants the killer Blueline to run, let them run. If the courts feel this (allowing Blueline) is one way of controlling Delhi's population, let them run.''

Sharma contended that the contempt became even more grave as the minister reportedly said that ``let the killerline run, let the wild horse run.''

On the same date in The Statesman, the minister was reported to have called upon Delhiites to protest against the return of killer Bluelines on Delhi roads. He is quoted as saying: ``People should expect to see the buses on roads in three days, if they are issued the permits as per High Court order.''

At a workshop organised by Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE), he reportedly said: ``There have been four fatal accidents on Delhi roads during the month of August so far.The number should shoot up drastically once the Bluelines are back on the roads.''

Demanding contempt of court proceedings under Sections 11 and 12 an 13 of the Contempt of Court Act 1971, the petitioners said the minister's statements reduced the dignity and respect of the court and he reacted as if he had personally been defeated by the court order.

``If he is not satisfied with court order, he should have approached the Supreme Court since he had a full month for the same. By calling upon the public to protest, he has failed in his constitutional responsibility to execute the judgements and decisions of the court,'' Dalal later said while demanding the minister's resignation.