Dhankhar Dhamki: V-P Jagdeep Dhankhar slams SC for scrapping NJAC Act

New Delhi: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has said there was "no whisper" in Parliament after the Supreme Court struck down the National Judicial Appointments Commission Act (NJAC) and described it as "too serious an issue".

He said a law passed by Parliament, which reflects the will of the people, was "undone" by the Supreme Court and "the world does not know of any such instance".

Citing provisions of the Constitution, the Vice-President also said when a substantive question of law is involved, the issue can be looked into by the courts. "Nowhere it says a provision can be run down," Dhankhar said in the presence of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud.

Addressing the LM Singhvi memorial lecture in Delhi, the Vice President underlined that the Preamble of the Constitution mentions "We the people" and Parliament reflects the will of the people. It means the power resides in the people - their mandate and their wisdom, he said.

Vice President Dhankhar referred to the NJAC Act, saying in 2015-16, Parliament was dealing with a constitutional amendment Act and as a matter of record the entire Lok Sabha voted unanimously.

In the Rajya Sabha, it was unanimous, there was one abstention. "We the people - their ordainment was converted into a constitutional provision. Power of the people, which was expressed through a legitimate platform, that power was undone. The world does not know of any such instance," he said.

The NJAC Act, which sought to overturn the collegium system of appointing Supreme Court and high court judges, was struck down by the Supreme Court which described it as unconstitutional. "I appeal to the people here, they constitute a judicial elite class, thinking minds, intellectuals - please find out a parallel in the world where a constitutional provision can be undone," he said.