The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : Speaker & courts

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 11, 2006

Opinion

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Speaker & courts

This refers to the article "Expulsion of MPs: the Speaker and the courts" (Feb. 7). The expelled MPs' act of accepting bribes for raising questions in Parliament was serious. The Speaker and Parliament are to be congratulated for the prompt action against them.

P.T. Joseph,
Kochi, Kerala

* * *

The discussion on the relative place of the judiciary, the legislature, and the executive brings to mind the words of President V.V. Giri. Addressing the Commonwealth Conference of Chief Justices in New Delhi in 1971, he said: "Holding democracy in judicial tutelage is not the most promising way to foster disciplined responsibility in a people." The Constitution is not a static document and needs change as a nation grows.

C.B. Dyuthikar,
Bangalore

* * *

The argument that the Speaker's action is not open to challenge (Letter, Feb. 8) ignores the point made in the article that in a rule of law society, every action of any public body must conform to the law. Whatever the Speaker may claim, the fact remains that there is no provision in the Constitution that allows Parliament to terminate membership of its members through a resolution on its own judgment.

M.C. Joshi,
Lucknow

* * *

Here is an issue that falls exclusively in Parliament's domain. The House is supreme in deciding the behaviour of its members. The judiciary has erred in issuing notice to the Speaker. This was done probably because there was no precedent to the case. But one must not respond routinely to this extraordinary situation.

P.M.G. Pillai,
Thiruvalla, Kerala

* * *

In a democracy, even criminals get a fair trial. Denying it to the expelled MPs will amount to injustice.

C.S. Sundaresha,
Bangalore

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail