'Parliament is supreme': V-P Dhankhar on executive vs judiciary duel, questions SC role during Emergency
Dhankhar, who is also the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, noted that public representatives are held accountable on several occasions through elections.
- Apr 22, 2025,
- Updated Apr 22, 2025 12:59 PM IST
As the duel between the Executive and the Judiciary continues to intensify, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday said that the Parliament is supreme in a democracy. Dhankhar, who is also the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, noted that public representatives are held accountable on several occasions through elections.
"A Prime Minister who imposed an Emergency was held accountable. Democracy is for the people and is a repository of safeguarding, it is that of elected representatives," the Rajya Sabha chairperson said at an event.
He further said that elected representatives are the "ultimate masters" of constitutional content.
"Elected representatives are the ultimate masters as to what constitutional content will be. There is no visualisation in the Constitution of any authority above Parliament. Parliament is Supreme. It is as supreme as every individual in the country," he said.
Calling the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi the 'darkest phase in democratic history', he said: "Why do we celebrate Constitution Day and Samvidhan Hatya Diwas? Because in 1949 the Constitution was adopted. And that Constitution was “distained rugged" in 1975. That time ( Emergency) was the darkest period in human history of the democratic world."
He questioned the role of the Supreme Court during the crisis, stating that fundamental rights were suspended in 1975 and that the top court ruled in favour of the same by overruling verdicts of 9 high courts of the country.
"I say darkest because the highest court of the land held, ignoring the verdict of 9 high courts. 9 high courts were uninformed that democracy’s fundamental rights could never be put on hold, but that was done. What was held by the Supreme Court, Executive of the day is the sole arbiter of fundamental rights, it can suspend for as much time as it likes," the V-P recounted.
Commenting on the criticism of his remarks on the Supreme Court's order against the President, Dhankhar said: "Every word spoken by a constitutional functionary guided by supreme national interest."
Dhankhar's comments come a day after the Supreme Court said that it is being accused of overreach.
"As it is, we are alleged to have encroached upon parliamentary and executive functions," the top court said while hearing a plea seeking President's Rule and deployment of paramilitary forces in West Bengal .
As the duel between the Executive and the Judiciary continues to intensify, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday said that the Parliament is supreme in a democracy. Dhankhar, who is also the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, noted that public representatives are held accountable on several occasions through elections.
"A Prime Minister who imposed an Emergency was held accountable. Democracy is for the people and is a repository of safeguarding, it is that of elected representatives," the Rajya Sabha chairperson said at an event.
He further said that elected representatives are the "ultimate masters" of constitutional content.
"Elected representatives are the ultimate masters as to what constitutional content will be. There is no visualisation in the Constitution of any authority above Parliament. Parliament is Supreme. It is as supreme as every individual in the country," he said.
Calling the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi the 'darkest phase in democratic history', he said: "Why do we celebrate Constitution Day and Samvidhan Hatya Diwas? Because in 1949 the Constitution was adopted. And that Constitution was “distained rugged" in 1975. That time ( Emergency) was the darkest period in human history of the democratic world."
He questioned the role of the Supreme Court during the crisis, stating that fundamental rights were suspended in 1975 and that the top court ruled in favour of the same by overruling verdicts of 9 high courts of the country.
"I say darkest because the highest court of the land held, ignoring the verdict of 9 high courts. 9 high courts were uninformed that democracy’s fundamental rights could never be put on hold, but that was done. What was held by the Supreme Court, Executive of the day is the sole arbiter of fundamental rights, it can suspend for as much time as it likes," the V-P recounted.
Commenting on the criticism of his remarks on the Supreme Court's order against the President, Dhankhar said: "Every word spoken by a constitutional functionary guided by supreme national interest."
Dhankhar's comments come a day after the Supreme Court said that it is being accused of overreach.
"As it is, we are alleged to have encroached upon parliamentary and executive functions," the top court said while hearing a plea seeking President's Rule and deployment of paramilitary forces in West Bengal .