Judiciary should stay within Constitutional limits: Om Birla
By Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi, January 11: Taking forward Parliament versus judiciary debate, presiding officers of the two Houses on Wednesday reiterated for judicial restraint and respect for the people’s mandate.
While the Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said that essence of democracy lies in the prevalence of the mandate of the people and securing their welfare, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla was more forthright in calling ‘the judiciary to stay within Constitutional limits”. They were speaking at the 83rd All India Presiding Officers’ Conference which began in Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, Jaipur.
Dhankhar said that the essence of democracy lies in the prevalence of the mandate of the people and securing their welfare. Expressing concern over the increasing instances of disruptions in Parliament and Legislatures, Dhankhar urged the representatives to be conscious of the expectations and aspirations of the people.
Emphasizing the need for harmonious relations between all organs of the State as envisaged in our constitution, the Vice President said that democracy sustains and blossoms when the Legislature, Judiciary and Executive act in tandem and togetherness to realize the aspirations of the people.
Dwelling on relationship between the legislature and the judiciary, Birla said that the legislatures have always respected the powers and authority of the judiciary. “The Presiding Officers of Legislatures have endeavored to ensure that their relationship with the Judiciary is in accordance with the spirit and decorum of the Constitution,” added Birla.
Judiciary is also expected to follow the principle of separation and balance of powers conferred by the Constitution among all institutions while exercising its constitutional mandate, Birla said, while adding: “Legislature, Executive and Judiciary – all three institutions draw their powers and jurisdiction from the Constitution and they should work in harmony, trust and balance, taking care of each other’s jurisdiction. Judiciary should stay within constitutional limits.”
Expressing concerns over people’s declining faith in legislative bodies, Birla said that there is a question mark about legislatures and people’s representatives in the general public. “We have to address this question mark as well and improve the image and productivity of the Legislatures. Discussions in the Legislatures should be more disciplined, meaningful and dignified,” said Birla, while he stressed that democratic institutions should work as effective institutions to ensure socio-economic change in the lives of common people.
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