New Delhi, Appr 22 (PTI) Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday asserted that every word spoken by a constitutional authority is guided by supreme national interest as he hit out at his critics for questioning his remarks on a recent Supreme Court order.
A top court bench had recently prescribed a three-month timeline for the president to decide on bills reserved by governors for her nod.
Reacting to the directive, Dhankhar had said that the judiciary cannot play the role of a “super parliament” and get into the domain of the executive.
Addressing a Delhi University event, he said every word spoken by a constitutional functionary is guided by the supreme sublime interest of the nation.
“I find it conceivably intriguing that some have recently reflected that constitutional offices can be ceremonial, ornamental. Nothing can be far distanced from a wrong understanding of the role of everyone in this country — constitutional functionary or a citizen,” he said.
He also said there is no visualisation in the Constitution of any authority above Parliament. “Parliament is supreme,” he asserted.
Voicing concern over a recent Supreme Court ruling prescribing a timeline for the President to decide on bills, Dhankhar had on Friday last said India had not bargained for a democracy where judges will legislate, perform Executive functions and act as a “super Parliament”.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court had, for the first time prescribed that the President should decide on the bills reserved for her consideration by the governor within three months from the date such reference is received.
“There is a directive to the President by a recent judgement … We never bargained for democracy for this day. President being called upon to decide in a time-bound manner, and if not, becomes law,” Dhankhar had said here.
The vice president was criticised for questioning the judiciary over the timeline for the president to take decisions, saying this is “unconstitutional”. PTI NAB NAB DV DV
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