Subhechcha Ganguly 
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday voiced strong objections to a recent Supreme Court judgment that directed the President of India to decide on state bills within a three-month period. Speaking to Rajya Sabha interns, Dhankhar questioned the judiciary’s expanding role, warning that it risks functioning as a “super Parliament” and overstepping constitutional boundaries.
Referring to the April 8 judgment in the State of Tamil Nadu vs Governor case, Dhankhar expressed concern over judges allegedly taking on legislative and executive roles without accountability. “We cannot have a situation where you direct the President of India — and on what basis? The only right under the Constitution is to interpret it under Article 145(3),” he said.
The Vice President further criticized the use of Article 142 by the judiciary, calling it a “nuclear missile against democratic forces” that is “available to the judiciary 24×7.” He raised questions about the mandate issued by a majority of judges in the ruling and whether it aligns with constitutional provisions.
Dhankhar also brought up the recent controversy involving Justice Yashwant Varma of the Delhi High Court, whose residence was allegedly the site of a cash seizure. He questioned the week-long delay in the disclosure of the incident, calling it troubling and inconsistent with the principles of rule of law.
“These events raise serious concerns. We must reflect — is such a delay explainable or condonable?” he asked, urging greater accountability within the judiciary.
