New Delhi, April 17: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday lashed out at the judiciary for overstepping its mandate, accusing the Supreme Court of acting like a “super Parliament” and directing the President of India in ways that threaten democratic norms.
Speaking to Rajya Sabha interns, Dhankhar expressed alarm over a recent Supreme Court directive that sought to set a timeline for the President to decide on Bills forwarded by Governors. “Where are we heading?” he asked. “President being called upon to decide in a time-bound manner, and if not, it becomes law?”
He warned against judicial overreach, saying, “We have judges who will legislate, who will perform executive functions, who will act as super Parliament and absolutely have no accountability.”
The Vice President strongly criticised the use of Article 142—which gives the Supreme Court powers to ensure “complete justice”—describing it as a “nuclear missile against democratic forces, available 24×7.”
“The President of India is in a very elevated position,” he said, adding that unlike others, the President swears to “preserve, protect and defend” the Constitution.
He cautioned that democracy was never meant to be shaped by unelected institutions. “We cannot have a situation where you direct the President of India. The only right you have under the Constitution is to interpret it under Article 145(3)… It has to be five judges or more.”
Stressing separation of powers, Dhankhar argued, “If executive governance is by the judiciary, how do you ask questions? Whom do you hold accountable in elections?”
Calling for balance among the three branches of government, he said, “Any incursion by one in the domain of the other poses a challenge, which is not good.”
