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The nation expects the House of Elders to take a decisive directional lead in reaffirming and enhancing the Republic's core values, said Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar as he presided over as the Chairman of Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
Rajya Sabha Secretariat informed in a press note that the Vice President said that the nation expects us to set up the traditions of parliamentary democracy exemplifying the highest deliberative emulative standards. Referring to the sublimity in the dialogue, discussions, deliberations and debates in the Constituent Assembly on sensitive, complex and ethical issues, Dhankhar lamented that obstruction and disruption of parliamentary proceedings are antithetical to democratic values. He urged the House to be cognizant of severe public discomfort and disillusionment at the lack of decorum in the temple of democracy. Highlighting the sublimity of the Doctrine of Separation of Powers, Dhankhar said that the Legislature, Judiciary and Executive need to optimally function in togetherness and by ensuring scrupulous adherence to their respective jurisdictional domain. Any incursion by one, howsoever subtle, in the domain of other, has the potential to upset the governance apple cart. Reiterating the basic tenets of the Constitution, Dhankhar said that parliamentary sovereignty is inviolable. Parliament's power to amend the Constitution is unqualified and supreme. Dhankhar further said that the 99th Constitutional Amendment Bill paving way for the National Judicial Appointment Commission (NJAC) was a historic step by the Parliament. Striking down of NJAC by the judicially evolved doctrine of Basic Structure is a severe compromise of parliamentary sovereignty and disregard of the mandate of the people. The Former Bengal Governor mentioned that the basis of any 'Basic Structure' is the prevalence of primacy of the mandate of the people, reflected in the Parliament. He further said that the Parliament is the exclusive and ultimate determinative of the architecture of the Constitution. He stated that this House along with Lok Sabha is duty-bound to address the issue. Dhankhar called upon the Members of the House to proactively catalyse the evolution of wholesome cordial ecosystem to promote synergic functioning of Constitutional Institutions, emphasising the need to respect 'Laxman Rekha'. (ANI)
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