Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Apr 22: In a strong critique of the Emergency era under former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday underscored the primacy of citizens and Parliament in India’s democratic framework, asserting that elected representatives are the ‘ultimate masters’ and protectors of the Constitution.
Speaking at ‘Kartavyam’, an event organised by Delhi University to commemorate 75 years of the Indian Constitution, Dhankhar said, “Elected representatives are the ultimate masters as to what the Constitution’s content will be. There is no visualization in the Constitution of any authority above Parliament. The Parliament is supreme. And that being the situation, let me tell you, it is as supreme as every citizen in the country.”
Amid ongoing debates over judicial overreach particularly in light of the Supreme Court’s directive setting a three-month deadline for the President to grant assent to Tamil Nadu Assembly Bills Dhankhar used the platform to remind citizens of their voting power and democratic duty.
“Through elections, a Prime Minister who imposed Emergency was held accountable in 1977,” he said. “Let there be no doubt about it the Constitution is for the people, and it is the elected representatives who are its true custodians.”
Referring indirectly to recent judicial interventions, Dhankhar, who is also the ex-officio Chancellor of Delhi University, emphasized that all constitutional authorities must operate within their prescribed limits. He criticised descriptions of the President as merely a titular or ceremonial figure, stating, “Nothing can be further from the truth. Such interpretations show a lack of understanding of constitutional roles whether of a citizen or a functionary.”
The vice president’s remarks follow criticism of the judiciary’s move to bring the President’s powers under review through the use of Article 142 a move Dhankhar controversially likened to a “nuclear missile” against democratic forces.
Asserting that democracy thrives only when citizens are alert and participative, he concluded, “The soul of democracy resides in every citizen. Its values will flourish when each one contributes and remains vigilant.”
Dhankhar’s statements have reignited the debate on the separation of powers, with prominent voices from both legal and political circles weighing in. While senior advocate Kapil Sibal criticised Dhankhar’s remarks as an attack on the judiciary, lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani supported the Vice President’s stance as a defence of constitutional integrity.