Kumar Bahukhandi
Rajya Sabha member Kapil Sibal – Photo: PTI
Politics: Rajya Sabha member Kapil Sibal has reacted sharply to the statement made by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar regarding the judiciary. Kapil Sibal said that this is ‘unconstitutional’ and he has never seen any Rajya Sabha Chairman making such a political statement.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar had criticized the Supreme Court’s historic decision setting a deadline for the President and Governors to approve bills. Reacting to his statement, Rajya Sabha member Kapil Sibal said that it is unconstitutional and he has never seen any Rajya Sabha Chairman making such a political statement.
Sibal asked – Who reduced the powers of the President?
Kapil Sibal said that the Vice President should know about the President and the Governor, who have to work on the aid and advice of the ministers. Sibal, President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, said that the Governor’s blocking of bills is actually an interference in the supremacy of the legislature. Dhankhar ji (Vice President) should know this, he asks how the powers of the President can be reduced, but who is reducing the powers?
They cannot be party spokespersons – Kapil Sibal
Kapil Sibal said that the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha maintain equal distance between the opposition and the ruling party and they cannot be party spokespersons. He further said, ‘Everyone knows that the Lok Sabha Speaker’s chair is between the two. He is the Speaker of the House, not the Speaker of any one party. He also does not vote, he votes only when there is a tie. The same thing is with the Upper House. You are at an equal distance between the opposition and the ruling party.’ During this, Kapil Sibal stressed, ‘Whatever you say, it should be at an equal distance. No Speaker can be a spokesperson of any party. I do not say that he is, but in principle no Speaker can be a spokesperson of any party. If it seems so then the dignity of the chair is reduced.’
What did the Vice President say a day earlier?
Vice President Dhankhar on Thursday April 15 , 2025 questioned the judiciary’s setting a deadline for the President to take decisions and act as a super parliament, saying that the Supreme Court cannot fire a nuclear missile at democratic forces. He said these strong words for the judiciary while addressing the Rajya Sabha trainees, a few days ago the Supreme Court had demanded a time limit for the President and the Governor to approve the bills placed for consideration. On this the Vice President said, ‘So, we have judges who will make laws, who will do executive work, who will act as a super parliament and they will have no accountability because the law of the country does not apply to them.’
