P Chidambaram calls judiciary 'overambitious

[nagarifle]

NEW DELHI: Home minister P Chidambaram on Saturday termed the higher judiciary "over ambitious" but applauded it for its activism which "enlarged the ambit of fundamental rights" of citizens.

Delivering the inaugural K N Katju memorial lecture on 'What ails the Indian judiciary', he said that like any other institution that has reached a ripe and old age, the judiciary is under stress.

``Another cause of stress is that the judiciary, especially the higher judiciary, is over ambitious. An ambitious court tends to think that there is a judicial solution to its problems,'' he said.

The home minister said that in his view the Indian judiciary is not afflicted by any malady that is incurable. Chidambaram, himself a reputed lawyer, said he had no intention to "pour oil" on a topic which was already hot and burning, which sent the audience consisting of eminent jurists into peals of laughter.

"I join in applauding the judicial activism of courts, especially the Supreme Court, in enlarging the ambit of fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution and creating a human rights jurisdiction," he said.

"It is the right of every citizen in this country to have a clean judiciary. Litigation in this country is no longer a rare occurrence. Judges have the power of life and death over citizens of this country," the home minister said.

In his keynote address, retired Supreme Court judge Justice Kuldip Singh said the recent reports of corruption in Indian judiciary were "disturbing" though they were "minor as compared to various maladies challenging the Indian society".

"Judiciary is very vital to ensure the sustenance of the society and (incidents of graft) should be checked immediately," he said. He, however, maintained that the judiciary in India "has never failed to deliver".

Noted jurist K K Venugopal was of the view that the judicial commission for the appointment of judges should include leader of the opposition and certain eminent jurists, who are not members of the Bar. "This will also help in removing the inordinate delay in appointments to the higher judiciary and checking nepotism," he said.

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