Justice Surya Kant responded to VP Jagdeep Dhankhar’s remarks, saying the judiciary faces attacks every day. He emphasized that such criticism is not a new challenge for the institution.
New Delhi: Supreme Court Judge Justice Surya Kant calmly responded to the strong criticism made by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and BJP MP Nishikant Dubey against the judiciary.
The senior judge stated,
“We are not worried… the institution comes under attack every day,”
Justice Surya Kant’s mild dismissal of these criticisms which intensified following the Supreme Court’s significant ruling regarding deadlines for the President and Governors to approve bills occurred while he was presiding over a contempt of court case from Karnataka.
Also Read: Senior Government Official: “Respect for Judiciary is Paramount”
During the proceedings, the lawyer representing the case highlighted the ongoing criticism of the judiciary and urged the Supreme Court to acknowledge the contempt issue to prevent a decline in public trust.
In response, Justice Surya Kant conveyed that he was “not worried about the institution…”
These remarks from Justice Surya Kant come amid intense scrutiny of the Supreme Court by Vice President Dhankhar and other BJP MPs. Just hours prior to the judge’s comments, Dhankhar, a practicing lawyer, had again criticized the Supreme Court, asserting that elected representatives (i.e., MPs) are the “ultimate masters of the Constitution…”
The Vice President, who also serves as the Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, stated,
“Elected representatives will be the ultimate masters of what the Constitution will be. There cannot be any authority above them“.
Mr. Dhankhar also referenced the Emergency declared by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975 an event the BJP often uses to critique the Congress party and questioned the Supreme Court’s role in permitting the suspension of fundamental rights during that period.
Last week, Mr. Dhankhar strongly criticised the Supreme Court, especially for using Article 142 of the Constitution.
This Article gives the top court special powers to pass orders in ongoing cases. His comments came after the Court used this Article to set time limits for the President and state Governors to clear bills.
His comments were preceded by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey’s assertion that the Supreme Court is “taking India towards anarchy.”
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a plea regarding these remarks next week.
While the ruling party has officially distanced itself from the criticisms of the Supreme Court, including those made by its own members, no actions have yet been taken against the individuals involved.
Meanwhile, top government sources have said that they have “respect for the judiciary”.
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