Obstruction, disruption of Parliament antithetical to democratic values: Jagdeep Dhankar

New Delhi [India], December 7 (ANI): Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar said on Wednesday that obstruction and disruption of parliamentary proceedings are antithetical to democratic values.
Responding to the felicitations offered by Prime Minister and other floor leaders in the House, Dhankhar said that the nation expects the House of Elders to take decisive directional lead in reaffirming and enhancing the core values of the Republic and set up the traditions of parliamentary democracy exemplifying the highest deliberative emulative standards.
Referring to the sublimity in the dialogue, discussions, deliberations and debates in the Constituent Assembly on sensitive, complex and ethical issues, Dhankhar said obstruction and disruption of parliamentary proceedings are antithetical to democratic values.
The Vice President urged the House to be cognizant of “severe public discomfort and disillusionment at lack of decorum in the temple of democracy”.
Highlighting the sublimity of doctrine of separation of powers, Dhankhar said that the legislature, judiciary and executive need to optimally function in togetherness and by ensuring scrupulous adherence to their respective jurisdictional domain.
Any incursion by one, howsoever subtle, in the domain of other, has the potential to upset the governance apple cart, he said.
Referring to the basic tenets of the Constitution, Dhankhar said that parliamentary sovereignty is inviolable and Parliament’s power to amend the Constitution is unqualified and supreme.
Dhankhar said that the 99th Constitutional Amendment Bill paving way for the National Judicial Appointment Commission (NJAC) was a historic step by the Parliament.
He referred to Supreme Court striking down NJAC Act and said it is “severe compromise of parliamentary sovereignty and disregard of the mandate of the people”.
He stated that this House along with Lok Sabha is duty bound to address the issue
Dhankhar mentioned that basis of any ‘basic structure’ is the prevalence of primacy of the mandate of the people, reflected in the Parliament.
He said that the Parliament is the exclusive and ultimate determinative of the architecture of the Constitution.
Dhankhar called upon the members of the House to proactively catalyse the evolution of wholesome cordial ecosystem to promote synergic functioning of constitutional institutions, emphasising need to respect ‘Laxman Rekha’.
Dhankar, who was elected as Vice Preisdent in August, presided over the proceedings of the House for the first time on Wednesday at the start of winter session of parliament. (ANI)