Watch: Judiciary can’t attack forces of democracy, says Vice-President

Questioning the judiciary for setting a timeline for the President to take decisions and accusing it of acting as a “super Parliament”, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday (April 17, 2025) said the Supreme Court cannot fire a “nuclear missile” at democratic forces.

Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar addresses the valedictory ceremony for the 6th Batch of Rajya Sabha Interns, at the Vice-President Enclave in New Delhi on April 17, 2025. | Photo Credit: PTI

Addressing Rajya Sabha interns on Thursday, Mr. Dhankhar held an extended critique of the judiciary, citing the manner of inquiry into the alleged recovery of semi-burnt currency notes at the official residence of Justice Yashwant Verma and alleged incursions by the judiciary into the domains of the executive and Parliament. His remarks come days after the Supreme Court sought to fix a timeline for the President and Governors to grant assent to the Bills reserved for their consideration.

“So, we have judges who will legislate, who will perform executive functions, who will act as super Parliament and absolutely have no accountability because the law of the land does not apply to them,” Mr. Dhankhar said.

The Vice-President also described Article 142 of the Constitution, which gives the Supreme Court the power to issue orders that ensure “complete justice” in any matter before it, as a “nuclear missile against democratic forces available to the judiciary 24x7”.

“There is a directive to the President by a recent judgment. Where are we heading? What is happening in the country? We have to be extremely sensitive. It is not a question of someone filing a review or not. We never bargained for democracy for this day. President being called upon to decide in a time-bound manner, and if not, becomes law,” Mr. Dhankhar said. 

The Vice-President said his worries were at a “very highest level” and he never thought in his life that he would have the occasion to see it.

Stressing the principle of separation of powers, he underlined that when the government is elected by the people, the government is accountable to Parliament and to the people in the elections.

“There is a principle of accountability in operation. In Parliament, you can ask questions... But if this executive governance is by the judiciary, how do you ask questions? Whom do you hold accountable in elections? Time has come when our three institutions -- legislature, judiciary and executive -- must blossom. Any incursion by one in the domain of the other poses a challenge, which is not good….” Mr. Dhankhar added.