Politics
'Parliament Alone Is In Charge Of Legislation,' Says Vice-President Dhankhar In A Week When SC Is Making Headlines For Its Comments
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.
The Vice President of India and the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday (20 April ) said that Parliament alone is "incharge of legislation" and competent to enforce it.
Speaking at the celebrations of Civil Services Day on 20 April, he said, “These constitutional entities can ill afford to weaponise authority by effecting incursions in the domain of the other. Legislature, Judiciary, and Executive serve best while functioning in their respective domain.”
“Have my assurance — Parliament alone is ‘incharge of legislation’ and competent to enforce it. Legislation is the executive preserve of Parliament, the most authentic reflector of the will of the people at large,” he added further.
His comments have come at a time when the legislature and the judiciary have come to loggerheads in recent years.
Increasing judicial activism on various issues, from regulating entry into temples to enabling itself into the selection process of Election Commissioner, has led to many alleging that the judiciary is over-extending its powers and encroaching upon the domain of the legislature and the executive.
The Constitution of India provides for ‘judicial review’ of the acts of Parliament in case they encroach upon the fundamental rights of citizens.
However, by inventing the ‘Doctrine of Basic Structure’, the judiciary enlarged the scope of its jurisdiction.
He also emphasised that under India’s constitutional scheme, neither the legislature nor the Judiciary can emerge as a powerful political actor. Therefore, the three wings of government need to ‘act in tandem’ to ensure a smooth journey for India in the future.
He concluded with Dr B R Ambedkar’s words in his last speech to the Constituent Assembly. He said, “What perturbs me greatly is the fact that not only India has once before lost her independence, but she lost it by the infidelity and treachery of some of her own people.”
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.
Latest
