NEW DELHI: Chief Justice of India B R Gavai on Wednesday hailed the Indian Constitution as he cited the violent protests in Nepal while hearing the submissions from the Centre and other parties on the presidential reference on whether the court could impose timelines for governors and the President to deal with bills passed by assemblies.
Referring to the anti-corruption agitation in Nepal, CJI Gavai made these remarks during the 9th day hearing by the five-judge Constitution bench in the presidential reference case.
“We are proud of our Constitution... Look at what is happening in our neighbouring country.... (Nepal)? We have seen what happened in Nepal,” the CJI remarked.
The other judge in the bench, Justice Vikram Nath, also backed CJI Gavai’s remarks and added that tensions were prevalent in Bangladesh too. “Yes, Bangladesh also,” Justice Vikram Nath said, while referring to similar protests that plagued Bangladesh last year.
During the hearing, the CJI cited protests in Nepal to emphasise the stability of India’s constitutional framework and the good democratic set-up India is having.
The hearing will continue on Thursday. The top court hinted that it would reserve the judgment. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta contended that out of the 17,000 bills that have been assented to by the Governors since 1970, only 20 have been withheld.