Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

High Court notice

Issue of notice by the Delhi High Court to the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Secretariats, the Election Commission, and the Centre on petitions by nine expelled MPs comes as a surprise. The issue could trigger yet another standoff between Parliament and the judiciary.

Sambi Reddy Endreddy,
Hyderabad

Speaker Somnath Chatterjee displayed a sense of duty and discretion in dealing with the MPs involved in the cash-for-query scandal. The people of the country support him in the view that the issue is beyond the pale of judicial scrutiny. At last we have a Speaker who is unbiased, tough and who can confidently steer Parliament with determination.

M.A. Hakeem,
Hyderabad

Mr. Chatterjee's assertion is unfortunate. Under the law of the land, any citizen who feels he has been deprived of his right can approach the judiciary.

K. Rajakrishnan,
Kannur, Kerala

One can understand Mr. Chatterjee's righteous indignation. Nothing can be more gruesome and destructive of parliamentary democracy than elected members receiving bribes. But then, can we subscribe to his view that courts cannot even entertain, let alone interfere in, such matters and Parliament alone is supreme? Have not citizens approached courts for relief when parliamentary functionaries such as the Governor or the Privileges Committee in the case of Press freedom, have breached basic democratic rights? The proper stand would be "we have acted according to law, let the expelled members approach any Court, we will defend our action."

N.G.R. Prasad,
Chennai

By expelling the 11 MPs, the political establishment has managed to divert debate from the enormity of the political crime to the correctness of the punishment. While the expulsion is a welcome step, it merely represents removal of a few warts. Unless our politicians are willing to make basic corrections to the way politics is practised in India, the expulsion cannot be considered an accomplishment.

V.K. Venugopal,
Ottapalam, Kerala

Maybe we should start by reducing the privileges of MPs, ask them to stand in queue for railway reservations, and withdraw police protection.

K.V. Rao,
Hyderabad

Parliament cannot be cleansed by a single act of expelling 11 MPs. It is well known that many of our MPs have criminal cases pending against them. Criminalisation of politics has to be tackled at a different level, not inside Parliament.

Ake Ravikrishna,
Kolkata

More than 75 years ago during graduation day at the Calcutta Law College, the chief guest advised the young law graduates: "Apply the spirit of the law and not the letter of the law." Just when Parliament has set an example to the world by expelling the MPs, the court has admitted their petition. Do the MPs believe they have been wronged?

Chelladurai Williams,
Chennai

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