The Bombay High Court rejected a plea seeking action against Dhankhar and Rijiju over their comments on the Indian judiciary, including the Supreme Court. File
| Photo Credit: Today News 24
“The credibility of the Supreme Court of India is sky-high. It cannot be eroded or impinged by the statements of individuals,” remarked the Bombay High Court while rejecting a plea seeking action against Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju over their comments on the Indian judiciary, including the Supreme Court.
A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice S.V. Gangapurwala and Justice Sandeep Marne on February 9 had dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by Bombay Lawyers Association and its chairman Ahmed Abidi seeking a direction from court to disqualify Mr. Rijiju and Mr. Dhankhar from holding the constitutional post as they had “expressed a lack of faith” in the Constitution of India.
A seven-page order in the plea, made available on Tuesday, reads, “The Constitution of India is supreme and sacrosanct. Every citizen of India is bound by the Constitution and is expected to abide by the constitutional values. The constitutional institutions are to be respected by all, including constitutional authorities and persons holding constitutional posts. It is no doubt, fundamental duty of every citizen to abide by the Constitution. Majesty of law has to be respected.”
The petition said: “The Vice President and the Law Minister have launched a frontal attack on the judiciary in the most insulting and derogatory language without using any recourse available under the Constitution. The Vice President and the Law Minister are attacking the collegium system as well as the doctrine of basic structure openly in a public platform. This kind of unbecoming behaviour by respondents who are holding constitutional posts is lowering the majesty of the Supreme Court in the eyes of the public at large.”
