Apex Court order 'judicial over activism': Ramadoss

Chennai, Oct 17: Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder leader Dr S Ramadoss today described as ''judicial over-activism'' the Supreme court order, directing the Centre to place before it, the report of the standing committee, examining the Bill, seeking to provide Reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) in higher educational institutions.

Reacting to the apex Court directive, Dr Ramadoss, who had been mobilising support for 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in higher educational instituions, told newspersons here that the left parties and those who were interested in social justice in BJP had also expressed concern over the ''judicial over activism.''

In the history of indian judiciary, the apex Court had never asked for the report of the standing committee, he said adding ''if this trend is allowed to continue, a situation will come when all laws would be enacted by the Parliament and the Legislatures, only after obtaining the permission of the Supreme court.'' The Supreme Court's directive posed a serious threat to constitutional balance and would collapse the democratic functions, Dr Ramadoss warned.

He said Article 122 and 212 clearly stated that the Judiciary could not intervene in the functions of the Parliament and Legislatures.

Dr Ramadoss said nowhere in the Constitution, it was stated that Reservation should not exceed 50 per cent, but the Supreme court had confined it to 50 per cent. Similarly, the Constitution talked only about social and educational Backwardness, but the apex court was considering economic Backwardness, he said.

On the just concluded local body elections in the state, Dr Ramadoss said the manner in which the elections were held and the candidates tried to woo the voters, gave an impression that the whole thing was a farce. Stating that the local body elections had become costly and paved way for corruption, he said henceforth, the government should give only two days time for campaigning.

''My personal view is that elections to all the bodies could be held on non-party basis,'' he said.

He also suggested that the government should do away with Panchayat Unions and District Panchayats and revert back to the two-tier system introduced by late Chief Minister K Kamaraj.

The existing three-tier system was a failure, he said.

On AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa's charge of violence in the elections, he said the AIADMK leader had no moral right to talk about it and she need not be taken seriously.

Stating that micro credit had won Muhammed Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize, Dr Ramadoss said the Self Help Groups were started in Tamil Nadu for facilitating micro credit, but unfortunately, they were being politicised.

Not even one per cent of the purpose for which, the groups were constituted was fulfilled, he regretted and urged the Tamil Nadu government to constitute a committee, comprising economic experts to streamline the groups.

UNI

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