Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s recent statement regarding the use of Article 142 by the Supreme Court has ignited a heated political controversy, with opposition leaders sharply criticizing him while the BJP defended him.
What Did VP Dhankhar Say?
In a meeting with interns at the Parliament, Vice President Dhankhar voiced serious objections to the way Article 142 is being employed by the judiciary. He compared the constitutional clause to a “nuclear missile,” suggesting that it is being improperly used to circumvent legislative power. He also questioned the judiciary’s recent incursions on the time limits within which the President must act on state bills, suggesting that the courts were overstepping constitutional limits.
Opposition Strikes Back
The opposition was not amused by the remarks. Senior advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal stated he was “shocked and saddened” by the remarks of Dhankhar, asserting that the judiciary has always remained the last hope of justice when other institutions let it down. In Sibal’s view, Article 142 has been an important weapon in upholding justice, particularly in delicate and intricate cases.
The TMC, DMK, and other party leaders also spoke against the Vice President. TMC’s Kalyan Banerjee accused the Vice President of repeatedly undermining the judiciary and said such statements could come close to contempt. DMK’s Tiruchi Siva further said that the remarks were improper, adding that the independence of the judiciary has to be preserved in a healthy democracy.
BJP Rallies Behind Dhankhar
The BJP promptly replied, charging the opposition with overreacting. Party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla stated that Dhankhar’s words were being intentionally misinterpreted to fuel controversy. In the BJP’s view, the Vice President was only raising a legitimate concern regarding the separation of powers and ensuring distinct boundaries between institutions.
Why It Matters
This event highlights the precarious equilibrium between the judiciary and legislative branches of the government. Though Article 142 is designed to provide justice transcending technical constraints, continuous showdowns on its application bring into focus an underlying struggle between power and interpretation of the Constitution. As India heads towards even higher-stakes political and legal wars, these controversies are only likely to heighten, necessitating institutional concord more than ever before.
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