Amid the ongoing tussle between the judiciary and the government over the appointment of judges, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju Sunday shared a clip from a retired Delhi High Court judge to highlight what he the considered “sane” view
Retired High Court Justice RS Sodhi’s in a recent interview with LawStreet Bharat YouTube channel, said about the SC’s Collegium system: “The Supreme Court has, for the first time, hijacked the Constitution. It said we will appoint the judges and that the government will have no role in this.”
Sharing an over five-minute-long clip from the interview, the Union Law Minister tweeted: “Voice of a Judge… Real beauty of Indian Democracy is – it’s success. People rule themselves through their representatives. Elected representatives represent the interests of the People & make laws. Our Judiciary is independent and our Constitution is Supreme.”
Voice of a Judge…
Real beauty of Indian Democracy is- it’s success. People rule themselves through their representatives.
Elected representatives represent the interests of the People & make laws. Our Judiciary is independent and our Constitution is Supreme. pic.twitter.com/PgSaqfZdDX— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) January 21, 2023
“Actually the majority of the people have similar sane views. It’s only those people who disregard the provisions of the Constitution and the mandate of the people think that they are above the Constitution of India,” he said in another tweet.
In the interview uploaded on November 23, Justice Sodhi can be heard saying,”High Courts are not subservient to the Supreme Court. High Courts are the independent bodies of the respective states. Now, what’s happening… The Supreme Court is appointing HC judges. And where do SC judges come from? High Courts. Hence, HC judges have now started looking towards Supreme Court all the time and become subservient (to the apex court).”
Rijiju had recently written to Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud “suggesting” the inclusion of a government nominee in the decision-making process for shortlisting of judges. Following this, several Opposition parties criticised the government for what they said was an attempt to “intimidate and thereafter capture” the judiciary.
