Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], April 19 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Prakash Reddy on Saturday backed Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar over his criticism of the Supreme Court, stating that the latter has every right to critique or question the judiciary’s actions.
Speaking to ANI, Reddy said that those criticizing Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s remarks do not have faith in Indian democracy.
“Whoever is criticizing Dhankhar’s statement does not have faith in Indian democracy or the Indian Constitution. The statement of the Vice President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar, is shaking Indian democracy now. When the Supreme Court gave a judgment and directed the President of India to clear the bills sent by different governors of the country within 90 days, whether the Supreme Court has this type of right or eligibility under the constitutional framework should be debated,” he told ANI.
Raising concerns over the country’s judicial system, he said Dhankhar’s remarks should be debated in Parliament.
“Dhankhar raised legal issues, and he is also number two as per the Constitution. He has every right to critique or question the judiciary’s actions. He is also part of the Indian democracy. How the Chief Ministers of opposition parties and leaders of opposition parties are criticizing Dhankhar, I do not understand. He raises some of the issues concerning the legal and judicial systems of the country. It has to be debated in Parliament,” Reddy asserted.
The statement comes after Vice President Dhankhar had stated, “Article 142 has become a nuclear missile against democratic forces, available to the judiciary 24/7.”
Speaking at the valedictory function of the sixth Rajya Sabha Internship Programme at the Vice President’s Enclave, Dhankhar proposed an amendment to Article 145(3), which deals with the composition of the bench required to decide substantial questions of constitutional law.
“We cannot have a situation where you direct the President of India, and on what basis? The only right you have under the Constitution is to interpret the Constitution under Article 145(3). There, it has to be five judges or more. When Article 145(3) was there, the number of judges in the Supreme Court was eight, 5 out of 8. Now, it’s 5 out of 30 and odd. But forget about it; the judges who issued a mandamus virtually to the President and presented a scenario that it would be the law of the land have forgotten the power of the Constitution. How can that combination of judges deal with something under Article 145(3) if preserved? It was then for five out of eight. We also need to make amends for that now. Five out of eight would mean interpretation will be by majority. Well, five constitutes more than the majority in eight. But leave that aside. Article 142 has become a nuclear missile against democratic forces, available to the judiciary 24/7,” Dhankhar said.
Following his statement, opposition leaders criticised Vice President Dhankhar for his remarks.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kalyan Banerjee on Friday attacked Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar after the latter criticized the Supreme Court and demanded the resignation of the Rajya Sabha Chairman.
“Vice President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar has criticised the Supreme Court in a very derogatory manner. This is not expected. The Vice President is a constitutional authority. He cannot attack a constitutional institution, which is one of the pillars of our democracy. He is doing this repeatedly. The way he has attacked the Supreme Court, he does not deserve to remain in the post of Vice President of India. He should resign immediately,” Banerjee told ANI. (ANI)
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