Governance must be left to those elected by voters, says Ravi Shankar Prasad

The minister says he is seeing a great propensity of certain courts to take over governance and that there is a need to reflect upon this trend.

The judiciary can set aside a law which is unconstitutional but it must leave governance and law making to those who are elected by voters, law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in New Delhi on Friday.

Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad addressed a valedictory session of the two-day seminar on Good Governance, Development and Human Rights, organised by the National Human Rights Commission in New Delhi on Friday.(PTI)

“Of late, I am seeing a great propensity of certain courts to take over governance. There is a need to reflect upon this trend… Governance is to be given to those elected to govern,” he said.

Prasad was speaking at a seminar organised by the National Human Rights Commission. Former Chief Justice of India HL Dattu who heads NHRC was present.

Prasad said the judiciary must set aside any law which is found to be unconstitutional and it must set aside any order which is found to be arbitrary.

“Judiciary must hold the executive accountable. Judiciary must have the right to set right an errant politician who is abusing his authority. These are the powers of the judiciary,” he said.

“Governance and accountability go hand in hand. You cannot take governance and not be accountable,” Prasad said.

Parliament, legislature, media and organisations such as the NHRC are platforms which bring in accountability for the political class, he pointed out. He said the framers of the constitution had envisaged separation of powers and accountability.