Justice Ramana said that political opposition is turning into enmity which is not a sign of a healthy democracy.
He was speaking at an event organized in Rajasthan Legislative Assembly on ’75 Years of Parliamentary Democracy’. Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Jaipur.
He urged for mutual respect between the government and the opposition, which he has let down.
“Especially the leaders of the opposition used to play an important role. There used to be a lot of respect between the government and the opposition. Unfortunately, the space for the opposition is shrinking.
He said that a strong, vibrant and active opposition helps in improving governance and fixes the functioning of the government.
The CJI also said that people expect the court to stand as a counterweight to legislative and executive excesses and it gains seriousness, especially when the opposition is missing in action.
He further added, “In an ideal world, it is the cooperative functioning of the government and the opposition that will lead to a progressive democracy. Ultimately, Project Democracy is a joint effort of all stakeholders,” he added.
CJI Ramana It also raised concerns over how some legislations have been passed without adequate debate and scrutiny, pointing to the deterioration in the quality of legislative performance.
He said that as a judge, in the absence of an in-depth debate involving all sides of the House, he sometimes wonders how one finds out the legislative intent behind the Acts.
The CJI also had a suggestion for the country’s parliamentarians.
“Law-making is a complex process. Every MLA cannot be expected to have a legal background. It is essential that the members of the Legislature get quality support from legal professionals, so that they can make a meaningful contribution to the debate. Hon’ble Speaker to every MLA May consider providing the help of qualified legal clerks.
He said, “As judges, we are assisted by law clerks in our day-to-day court work. I assure you, it will be really helpful to all of you.”
Ramana had earlier said at an event in Jaipur that non-filling of judicial vacancies was the main reason for the huge pendency of cases.
Calling for steps to be taken to address the “grave” issue of high numbers of undertrials affecting the criminal justice system, the CJI said there is a need to question procedures that allow long-term imprisonment without trial. leads away.
He said nearly 80 per cent of the 6.10 lakh prisoners in the country are undertrials and added that the process is “a punishment” in the criminal justice system.
(with agency input)