Lok Sabha members express concern over judicial overactivism

New Delhi, Dec 7 (UNI) Cutting across party lines, members of the Lok Sabha today expressed concern over the ''judicial over-activism'' which, they said has ''undermined the pre-eminence of Parliament and infringed on the sovereignty of the people''.

A virtual unanimous response came in reaction of the Calling Attention motion tabled in the House by CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta on the need for harmonious functioning of the three organs of the State -- Legislature, Judiciary and Executive.

Keeping in view the sensitivity and importance of the issue, the House unanimously agreed to Speaker Somnath Chatterjee's proposal for coverting the Calling Attention motion into a debate under Rule 193 to be taken up later on.

Earlier, raising the matter, Mr Dasgupta quoted late Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru and Dr B R Ambedkar, the author of Indian constitution, and judicial verdicts to prove the pre-eminence of Parliament, which has a representative character in the power structure of the country.

''The Judicial over-activism taking place in the country, has been infringing on the rights of the people, sovereignty of Parliament, an elected body of the people,'' Mr Dasgupta said.

BJP Deputy Leader Prof V K Malhotra and SP's Mohan Singh and several other members were in consonance to the observation of the CPI leader and suggested that the matter required a thorough discussion.

However, Law and Justice Minister H R Bhardwaj said three organs of the State have, by and large, functioned within their determined sphere demarcated by the Constitution.

UNI/JSS MIR HT1500