JOIN USHigh time to restore glory, standard of debates in House: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court on Friday said it is disheartening that Parliament and Legislative Assembly are becoming more and more intransigent place, and it is high time that corrective steps are taken to restore the glory and the standard of intellectual debates of the highest order over there.
The top court said members of the House, emulated by their ardent followers, are expected to show statesmanship and not brinkmanship as the philosophical tenet, one must agree to disagree, is becoming a seldom scene or a rarity during the debates.
In its 90-page judgement declaring suspension of 12 BJP MLAs from Maharashtra Assembly for one year as unconstitutional, a bench presided over by Justice A M Khanwilkar said there can be no place for disorderly conduct in the House much less “grossly disorderly”.
"Such conduct must be dealt with sternly for ensuring orderly functioning of the House. But, that action must be constitutional, legal, rational and as per the procedure established by law," the court said.
The bench, also comprising Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and C T Ravikumar, said this case has thrown up an occasion for all concerned to ponder over the need to evolve and adhere to good practices befitting the august body; and appropriately denounce and discourage proponents of undemocratic activities in the House, by democratically elected representatives.
"For becoming world leaders and self-dependant/reliant, quality of debates in the House ought to be of the highest order and directed towards intrinsic constitutional and native issues confronting the common man of the nation/States, who are at the crossroad of semi sesquicentennial or may we say platinum or diamond jubilee year on completion of 75 years post¬independence," the bench said.
The court further said aggression during the debates has no place in the setting of country governed by the Rule of Law.
"Even a complex issue needs to be resolved in a congenial atmosphere by observing collegiality and showing full respect and deference towards each other. They ought to ensure optimum utilisation of quality time of the House, which is very precious, and is the need of the hour especially when we the people of India that is Bharat, take credit of being the oldest civilisation on the planet and also being the world’s largest democracy (demographically)," the bench added.
Referring to the popular sentiment gaining ground amongst the people, the court said it has become common to hear that the House could not complete its usual scheduled business and most of the time had been spent in jeering and personal attacks against each other instead of erudite constructive and educative debates consistent with the highest tradition of the august body.
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