Senior lawyer and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Friday (April 18) took a swipe at Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar for his criticism of the judiciary for setting up a deadline for the president to decide on Bills sent by governors.
Dhankhar on Thursday (April 17) had questioned the judiciary’s authority to allow judicial review of presidential and gubernatorial nod to state bills.
Also Read: India doesn’t want judges to act as ‘super Parliament’: Jagdeep Dhankhar
Responding to Dhankhar’s barbs at a press conference on Friday, Sibal said it was unbecoming of a Rajya Sabha chairman to make such political comments.
Sibal said the President is only a titular head and acts on the authority of the cabinet.
“I was saddened and surprised to see Jagdeep Dhankhar’s statement. If any institution is trusted throughout the country in today’s time, it is the judiciary… The President is only a titular head. The President acts on the authority and advice of the cabinet. The President has no personal right of their own,” Sibal told the media.
Defending the judiciary, Sibal said Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi’s move of withholding assent to Bills passed by the state Assembly was “an intrusion on the supremacy of the legislature”.
Also read: If governors breach boundaries, the judiciary has to step in
“This should be known to Dhankhar ji, he asks how the powers of the president can be curtailed, but who is curtailing the powers? I say that a minister should go to the governor and be there for two years, so they can raise issues which are of public importance, will the governor be able to ignore them?” Times of India quoted Sibal as saying.
Sibal also asked if Parliament passes a Bill can the President delay its implementation. “Even if it is not signed, does no one have the right to talk about it?” he asked.
