TMC MP criticises Law Minister Rijiju for remarks on SC taking up all bail pleas, PILs

NEW DELHI, (PTI): Expressing concern over what he called a conflict between the judiciary and the executive, TMC MP Saugata Roy on Wednesday criticised Law Minister Kiren Rijiju’s suggestion that the Supreme Court taking up all bail applications and ”frivolous PILs” will cause a lot of extra burden, and said it may undermine fundamental rights of people.

Speaking during Zero Hour in Lok Sabha, Roy said there is a growing conflict between the higher judiciary and the executive triggered by the law minister’s criticism of the collegium system for appointment of judges.

The law minister’s statements are not only disturbing but inappropriate as it relates to functioning of courts, he said.

Roy said the PIL system was introduced by Justice P N Bhagwati to secure public interest and ensure availability of justice to socially-disadvantaged parties.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) member was referring to Rijiju’s remarks that the Supreme Court should take up those cases which are relevant and appropriate for it.

”If the Supreme Court of India starts hearing bail applications, if the Supreme Court of India starts hearing all frivolous PILs, it will definitely cause a lot of extra burden on the hon. court itself because the Supreme Court, by and large, is treated as a constitutional court,” Rijiju said in Rajya Sabha after he introduced the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (Amendment) Bill, 2022 last week.

Rijiju also said the issue of vacancies and appointments in the higher judiciary would continue to linger till such time a new system is created for the same.

”Currently, the government has limited powers to fill the vacancies (in courts),” he said and added that the Centre cannot look for names other than those recommended by the collegium.

During the Zero Hour on Wednesday, Simranjit Singh Mann of the SAD(M) raised the issuing of Sikh prisoners languishing in jails for more than 25 years while the convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case have been released.

He demanded that the Sikh prisoners be released.

BJP MP Mahesh Sharma said that home-buyers are not getting their ”dream” houses for ages in Noida and Greater Noida and added the government should take action so that these hapless customers get their dwellings soon.

These home-buyers are suffering as they are paying home loan as well as rent, he said.

JDU MP Santosh Kumar flagged a shortage of fertiliser in the Rabi season in Bihar.

He demanded that the Centre release the entire quota for the state so that farmers can be supplied the required fertiliser for Rabi crops.

Raising the issue of the recent hooch tragedy in Bihar, Gopal Jee Thakur of the BJP said the state government should be dismissed for failing to save hundreds of lives in the state.

Thakur alleged that the state government and the administration are hiding the death tolll caused due to consumption of illicit liquor in Saran district.

He also urged the Centre to send a high-level enquiry team to look into the matter and assess the correct figure.

At least 30 people have died in the Saran hooch tragedy, the biggest in the state since prohibition was clamped on it in April 2016. Many unconfirmed reports, however, put the death toll in excess of 50. (PTI)