The Bombay Lawyers Association had challenged the Bombay High Court order dismissing a PIL against the vice-president and the Union law minister’s remarks on judiciary and the collegium system.
Hon'ble Vice President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar (Photo: ANI)
The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain a plea by the Bombay Lawyers Association against Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju for their adverse remarks on judiciary and the Collegium system for the appointment of judges to higher judiciary.
The Bombay Lawyers Association had challenged the Bombay High Court order dismissing PIL against the vice-president and the Union law minister’s remarks on judiciary and the collegium system for the appointment of judges.
A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Justice J B Pardiwala said that in their view the high court order was correct and their shoulders are broad enough to withstand such criticism.
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“We believe that the view of the high court is correct. Whether any authority has made any inappropriate statement, observations already made that the Supreme Court shoulders are broad enough to deal with it,” the bench said.
Challenging the February 9, 2023, order of the high court, the lawyers’ body said two public functionaries have disqualified themselves to hold the constitutional post by showing “lack of faith” in the Constitution by attacking its institution — the Supreme Court— and showing scant regard for the law laid down by it.
The Bombay High Court while dismissing the plea had said that credibility of the Supreme Court of India is “sky-high” and it cannot be eroded or impinged by the statements of individuals.
The Bombay Lawyers Association had approached the High Court seeking to restrain Dhankhar and Rijiju from discharging their duties as the Vice President, and the union Cabinet minister respectively.
The PIL had claimed that the “frontal attack not just on the judiciary but on the Constitution’” by the two has lowered the prestige of the Supreme Court in public.
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