Authorities should be mindful of 'Lakshman Rekha' while discharging duties: CJI NV Ramana

Addressing the Joint Conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices of High Courts on Saturday in the presence of PM Modi and Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, Chief Justice of India NV Ramana said that the police should discharge their duties fairly.

Stating that servicemen should be mindful of 'Lakshman Rekha' (limits of one's office), CJI Ramana said that deliberate inaction by state governments, despite judicial pronouncements, is not good for the health of democracy. The senior-most judge of the Supreme Court addressed the gathering after PM Modi inaugurated the Conference. 

Police should discharge duties while being mindful of Lakshman Rekha: CJI Ramana 

"Constitution provides separation of power among three organs and the harmonious function between three organs strengthens democracy. While discharging our duty, we should be mindful of Lakshman Rekha," the top law officer of the country said. 

He further stated that abiding by the law of the land and the constitution is good governance and that laws should be made through debate and discussions in the country. Clarifying that the judiciary is not responsible to amend or indulging in the government's policymaking, he said that courts are compelled to intervene if citizens voice their grievances before a court.

PILs are being misused to settle scores with political or corporate rivals: CJI Ramana 

"Decisions of the court aren't implemented by governments for years. There's deliberate inaction despite judicial pronouncements that aren't good for the country. Although policymaking is not our domain, if a citizen comes to us with their grievances then the court can't refuse," he noted. 

"The law should be made after thorough debates and discussions incorporating the needs and aspirations of concerned people. Often there's litigation because of the non-performance of Executives and inaction of Legislatures which are avoidable," CJI Ramana said. 

Furthermore, he mentioned that in recent times, the provision for Public Interest Litigation (PIL) is being misused and the same being used as a tool to settle scores with political or corporate rivals. 

"Well-meaning intentions behind Public Interest Litigation (PIL) are misused as it's turned into 'Personal Interest Litigation' to stall projects & terrorise public authorities. It has become a tool to settle scores with political & corporate rivals," he underlined.

CJI Ramana deemed the event as an opportunity to introspect and declared that judges and judiciary in the county are 'the best people to understand the needs of people'. He brought to the fore that judicial infrastructure in the country needed serious attention and iterated the issue of a 'large number of vacancies' of judges in the Indian legal system.