The Kerala High Court has adjourned till next week hearing on the petition seeking a direction to the Centre not to enact a bill that provides for members of higher judiciary declaring their assets.
A division bench, comprising acting Chief Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice P R Raman, heard the petition filed by Basil Attipetty yesterday and adjourned it to next week.
Attipetty contended that enactment of the proposed Judges Standards and Accountability Bill would allow the executive to "intervene" in the judiciary, which is an independent body.
The attempt by the executive to frame the bill "to control and supervise judges is ultra vires", he said.
The Constitution has certain basic features such as rule of law, separation of powers among the executive, legislative and judiciary. An independent judiciary is the basic structure of the Constitution, he pointed out.