CJI: Constitution of India supreme, all three pillars hold equal importance

Chief Justice of India B R Gavai on Sunday stated that the Indian Constitution, and not any individual pillar of democracy, holds ultimate authority in the governance framework of the country.

- MPOST BUREAU

Speaking at a felicitation ceremony and state lawyers' conference hosted by the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa, CJI Gavai underscored the importance of constitutional boundaries and mutual respect among institutions.

"Neither the judiciary, nor the executive, nor Parliament is supreme. It is the Constitution of India which is supreme, and all three wings must function within the framework laid down by it," Justice Gavai said while addressing a gathering of legal professionals.

The Parliament has the power to amend the Constitution, but it cannot touch the basic doctrine structure, CJI Gavai said.

The basic structure doctrine holds that certain fundamental features of the Constitution, such as its supremacy, the rule of law, and the independence of the judiciary, cannot be amended or abrogated by Parliament through a constitutional amendment.