Need to maintain balance between judiciary, legislature: Ansari

"Our system works on the principle of separation of powers. The principle is nuanced and the nuances need to be understood. There is a need for exercising discretion in public pronouncements and caution in policy enaction to ensure that the delicate balance is maintained at all times," Ansari, who is also Chairman of the Rajya Sabha said here.

He said while all systems go through "stresses and strains" but a democratic system responds to it by holding discussion and deliberation.

"I think the need for that discussion and deliberation and the need to provide enough time for it, is critical more so in our times when we tend to abridge some of these things for variety of reasons, some of them undoubtedly valid," Ansari said.

Ansari's observations came at the launch of a book 'The Legislature and the Judiciary: judicial pronouncements on Parliament and state legislatures'.

Speaking on the occasion, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman K Rahman Khan said while Parliament is the supreme law making body, judiciary is the final authority for interpreting the Constitution and the law passed by the legislative institutions.

He said while both the legislature and the judiciary have autonomy and independence for their functioning, there have been occasions when the "delicate balance between Parliament and judiciary comes under strain due to differing opinion regarding their autonomy and independence in the exercise of their powers."