CHENNAI: The historic verdict of the SC on governors delaying assent to bills has rattled many anti-democratic forces as it is a step towards ‘resetting the process,’ CM MK Stalin said on Friday.
Reacting to the remarks made by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar on the judgment, Stalin said on X platform, “The current malaise stems from politicisation of constitutional offices, including governors, the Vice President and even the President, to undermine opposition governments and inject right-wing narratives into public discourse. In a democracy, governments are to be run by elected representatives, not by ceremonial appointees. No one, however high, can be above the law.”
He said the need of the hour is to ensure that this reset is implemented in its true spirit. Earlier, DMK’s deputy general secretary and Rajya Sabha member Tiruchi Siva termed Dhankar’s observation as unethical.
Dhankar’s speech among Rajya Sabha interns in New Delhi on Thursday evoked widespread condemnation as he strongly criticised the judiciary for “acting as a super Parliament”. He also equated Article 142 of the Constitution as the “nuclear missile against democratic forces available to the judiciary 24X7”.
Taking to X platform on Friday, Siva said, “Under the separation of powers as per the Constitution, the executive, the legislature and the judiciary have distinct powers. When all three act on their own spheres, one should not forget that the Constitution is supreme.”
“The recent Supreme Court verdict on the role of governors and President invoking Article 142 undoubtedly has established that no individual in the name of being a constitutional authority can sit over bills passed by a legislature indefinitely undermining the constitutional provisions,” Siva said.
“Every citizen must be aware that ‘the rule of law’ prevails in the union of India,” Siva added.
Meanwhile, Prince Gajendra Babu, general secretary of the State Platform for Common School System - TN, in a statement urged the MPs to introduce an impeachment motion in the Parliament for the removal of Dhankar as Vice President for casting “great apprehension” on the integrity of the apex court.