Oppn hits out at V-P over remarks against judiciary

Opposition parties on Friday targeted Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar for his comments on the judiciary, accusing him of undermining constitutional values and taking a view that "borders on contempt."

- Snehashish Roy

NEW DELHI:

The criticism came a day after Dhankhar described Article 142 of the Constitution as "a nuclear missile against democratic forces" and questioned the Supreme Court's recent judgment setting timelines for the President to sign bills passed by state legislatures. Article 142 empowers the Supreme Court to pass any order to ensure for "complete justice in any cause or matter" before it.

"In our democracy, only the Constitution of India is supreme," said Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala. "No office, be it of President or Prime Minister or Governor, is so elevated as to be above the fetters of Constitutional propriety."

Surjewala defended the Supreme Court's April 8 ruling that mandated a three-month deadline for Presidential action on bills reserved by governors, calling it "timely, accurate, courageous" and a necessary check on high offices.