New Delhi: In a recent statement, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar made a bold affirmation about Parliament — the highest constitutional authority in the country with no institution or authority above it. Dhankhar stated these facts while addressing an event at Delhi University on Tuesday, saying that the MPs, the representatives of the people, represent the will of the people and are supreme in a democracy.
The remarks by Dhankhar had come following continuing criticism over comments made during his recent visit stating that the Supreme Court was trying to run the country. Michael, the vice president added, “Anything anybody objects to in a statement from a constitutional officer, including me, should be in the highest national interest — period.
Parliament is free to decide any way how the Constitution should be made and how the Constitution should be amended. There is nothing from outside against Parliament,” he added. Dhankhar said MPs are also the creators of the Constitution, and there is no higher authority above them.
Dhankhar’s statement comes at a time when some quarters have even taken him to task for his remarks on the judiciary in the past. But, Dhankhar continued with his view that Parliament is supreme in a democracy. He stated once again that whenever a constitutional officer speaks, he weighs the best interests of the country and asserted that only elected representatives determined Constitution-related issues.
The vice president has stirred a debate on the relationship of Parliament with the judiciary in India and whether or not the two should be kept separate, which has been a topic that has been under contention among both of the institutions as well. The comment also points to Dhankhar’s position on the primacy of Parliament and its lack of a role in constitutional matters, as he has constantly been defending this aspect of the Parliament against the judiciary.