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Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar has convened a meeting of floor leaders from various political parties to deliberate on requests from certain Members of Parliament (MPs) seeking a discussion on the alleged discovery of a significant amount of cash at the official residence of a Delhi High Court judge, PTI reports.
Following his rejection of a Rule 267 notice submitted by Haris Beeran of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), who had sought to set aside the scheduled business of the day to discuss the matter, Dhankhar announced that the meeting of floor leaders would take place at 4:30 pm on Tuesday.
Dhankhar stated that he had already engaged in discussions with Leader of the House J P Nadda and Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge regarding the pressing issue, which he described as being of critical importance to governance, as per PTI. He noted that Kharge had suggested convening a meeting of floor leaders, a proposal to which Nadda had also agreed.
"The issue is undoubtedly of great seriousness," Dhankhar remarked, highlighting that, for the first time, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna had taken the unprecedented step of publicly disclosing details of an internal inquiry, including photographs and video evidence, related to the alleged discovery of a huge stash of cash at Justice Yashwant Varma's official residence. The Supreme Court had uploaded this material onto its website, an act that has garnered widespread attention, PTI reports.
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According to PTI, the matter came to light following a fire at the storeroom of Justice Varma's official residence on March 14 in Lutyens' Delhi. Firefighters and police officers responding to the incident allegedly discovered "four to five semi-burnt sacks" of Indian currency notes at the scene. Chief Justice Khanna subsequently appointed a three-member panel to investigate the matter.
Dhankhar asserted that the legislature and judiciary function most effectively when they remain within their respective domains. He referenced the Supreme Court's decision to strike down the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Act, stating that had the mechanism been implemented, the current circumstances could have been different.
He elaborated that the NJAC Act was passed by the Rajya Sabha with overwhelming consensus and without dissent, barring a single abstention. The legislation was later endorsed by 16 state assemblies and received presidential assent under Article 111 of the Constitution. He expressed concern over the rejection of the amendment, describing it as a "visionary step" that could have prevented such controversies.
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari weighed in on the matter, asserting that justice must not only be done but must also be perceived as being done. He stressed the necessity of taking corrective measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future, PTI reports.
Dhankhar underscored the sanctity of constitutional amendments, stating that there exists no provision allowing for the review or appeal of such amendments. "While judicial review can determine whether legislation is in conformity with constitutional provisions, there is no mechanism to alter a constitutional amendment once it has been enacted by Parliament and endorsed by state legislatures," he stated.
He urged MPs to reflect on the broader implications of the situation, particularly the role and authority of Parliament. "We find ourselves at a crossroads. On one side, we have a constitutional amendment duly enacted and endorsed by Parliament and state legislatures, and on the other, a judicial order that has nullified it. This raises fundamental questions about the sovereignty and supremacy of Parliament," Dhankhar remarked, as per PTI.
(With inputs from PTI)
