Somnath asks judiciary not to become 'super legislature'

Quoting Nehru, the Lok Sabha Speaker says the Supreme Court or the judiciary can not stand in the path of the legislature.

Judiciary should not overstep into the affairs of the legislature and encroach upon spheres earmarked for other organs of democracy, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee has said.

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He also asked the judiciary to avoid becoming a 'super legislature'.

Speaking at a function of the High Court Bar Association in Nagpur on February 18, Chatterjee said the Indian constitution has clearly demarcated the responsibility for managing public affairs to the legislature for which they are accountable to the people.

"Any efforts by the judiciary to take on itself the onerous responsibility of the governance of the country will have serious implications," he said.

The function was also attended by Chief Justice of Bombay High Court Justice Swatanter Kumar and a galaxy of other members of bench and bar.

"Legislature has a pre-eminent position in the democratic set up," he said.

Quoting Nehru, Chatterjee said the Supreme Court or the judiciary can not stand in the path of the legislature.

He said judiciary has the power to examine the constitutionality of the law but not to tell (legislature) how the law should be implemented.