Should Judges be the Guardians of Constitution?

B y M .H.K.S .De S . J a ya seka ra

A j udge pl a ys hi s rol e i n adm i ni st eri ng j ust i ce t o se rve t he com m uni t y accordi n g t o l aw. T he y i nt erpr et t he l a w, assess t h e evi d e nce pr esent ed, and cont rol how he ari ngs and t ri al s unfol d i n t hei r court r oom s. The m os t i m port ant fact i s t hat t he j ud ges ar e i m part i al de ci si on -m akers i n t he purs ui t of j ust i ce.

The s t at es are gove rned under t he dem ocrac y whi ch prot e ct s t he equal i t y of t he m anki nd. W hen m aki ng deci si ons, even when t he y sel ect t hei r l egi s l at ur e, t he y do bel i eve i n m aj ori t y s choi ce. Le gi sl at i ve suprem a c y i s one of t he k e y i d eas and i t i s und erl yi n g t h e i dea t hat l e gi sl at i ve s uprem ac y, t he l e gi sl at i ve bod y shoul d be superi or and consequent l y m or e powerful t han ot he r bran ches o f gov ern m ent . Thi s i s j ust i fi ed b y t h e i de a t hat t he l egi sl at i ve bod y a ct ual l y repr es ent s t he peopl e, si nce i t i s di rect l y el ect ed b y t he peop l e, whereas m em be r s of ot her branches of governm ent m i ght not nec essari l y be el ect ed at al l . It i s m aj or i t ys d e ci si on and i t i s dem ocra c y. Al t hou gh t he dem ocr ac y a ct s wi t h t he m aj ori t y s deci si ons, t he m i nori t y of a st at e s houl d not be for got t en. In consequen ce, t he j udges get t oget he r as t he j udi ci ar y of t he st at e t o avoi d i l l -t reat i ng t he m i nori t y and i t res ul t s t he J udi ci al R evi ew.

J udi ci al revi ew i s t h e doct ri ne i n r epubl i can t heo r y unde r wh i ch l e gi sl at i ve and ex ecut i ve act i ons are subj ect t o revi ew, and possi bl e i nval i dat i on, b y t he j udi ci ar y. S pe ci fi c court s wi t h j udi ci al revi ew pow er m ust annul t he act s of t he st at e w hen i t fi nds t hem i ncom pat i bl e wi t h t he t erm s of t he cons t i t ut i on . The procedur e and s cop e of j udi ci al revi e w di ffer from count r y t o count r y and st at e t o st at e. C urrent l y, j udi ci al revi ew i s on e of t he char act e ri st i cs of t he Uni t ed S t at es, Indi a and som e ot her si m i l ar dem ocrat i c so ci et i es .

W hen t he J udi ci al revi ew i s hi ghl y cr i t i cal about t he m aj ori t ys choi ce, however i n som e si t uat i ons, i t m a y di st urb t he dem o cra c y of t he m aj o ri t y as wel l . The m aj ori t y shoul d al l ow m a ki ng pr efe renc e r el at ed deci si ons . On one hand i t i s benefi ci al t hat i t m akes peopl e work t o be t ake part i n m aj ori t y. But wh en i t s consi dered i n R i ght R el at ed Issues, t he m aj or i t y vot e s yst em woul d not be t he best wa y. Fo r e x am pl e when t he m aj ori t y cant unders t and an y ot h er opi ni on or i f t he y don t fe el abo ut t hei r wron g deci s i ons i t wi l l creat e an i nequ al i t y i n fundam ent al ri ght s of ci t i z ens. It m a y di r ect l y af fe ct t he m i nori t y i n et hni c rel at ed i ssues. C onsi deri ng about t he part i ci pat i on rel at ed i ssues, i t com es t o t he case of Brow n Vs Board of Educat i on, wher e t h e bl ack peopl e we r e not al l ow ed t o st ud y i n a school whi ch was kept on l y for whi t e peopl e. In t hat cas e, t he whi t e peopl e, bei n g t he m aj ori t y, have v i ol at ed R i ght t o Educat i on of Bl ack pe opl e. If t he re i s t he dem ocr ac y, al l ci t i z ens shoul d have gi ven t he fre edo m t o part i ci pat e. W hen t he Land R ef orm Law was est abl i shed i n Ind i a wi t h t he ac cordan ce of t he m aj ori t y i t af fect ed t he ri ght s of Maharaj a as he was i n t he m i nori t y. Thes e fact s prove t hat t he consi derat i on of m aj ori t y i s not suffi ci ent . Therefo re i t s nece ssar y t o keep a j u di ci al revi ew t o m ake reason abl e deci s i ons whi ch cou l d prot ect t he funda m ent al ri ght s of eve r y ci t i z en.

T h e S e p a r a t i o n o f P o w e r s i s a n o t h er t h e o r y t o go v e r n a d e m o c r a t i c s o c i e t y's go v e r n m e n t which depends on checks and balances. The

S e p a r a t i o n o f p o we r s i s b a s e d o n t h e i d e a s o t h a t ev e r y b r a n c h o f go v e r n m e n t s h o u l d b e e q u a l i n p o w e r a n d e a c h s e p a r a t e b r a n c h o f s h o u l d h a v e c e r t a i n c h e c k s o n t h e po w e r s o f t h e o t h e r b r a n c h e s of go v e r n m e n t . T h i s c o n c e p t i s i n co n t r a s t t o l e gi s l a t i ve s u p r e m a c y. In t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , t h e J u di c i a r y c o n s i d e r s t h e j ud i c i a l r e v i e w a s a b a s i c c h e c k o n t h e p o w e r s o f t h e o t h e r t w o b r a n c h e s o f go v e r n m e n t . In A m e r i c a n l e ga l l a n gu a ge , " J u d i c i al R e v i e w " r e f e r s t o t h e a d j u d i c a t i o n o f c o n s t i t ut i o n al i t y o f s t a t u t e s , e s p e c i a l l y b y t h e S t a t e s . T h e y h a v e s o m e k i n d o f j u d i c i a l r e v i ew t o t h e i r ci v i l l a w s ys t e m s i n o r d e r t o r e d u c e t h e p o w e r o f t h e m a j o r i t y .

N e v e r t h e l e s s , m a ny c o u n t r i e s w h e r e l e ga l s ys t e m s a r e b a s e d o n t h e l e gi s l a t i v e s u p r e m ac y h a v e l e a r n e d t h e p o s s i b l e d a n ge r s a n d l i m i t a t i ons o f p u t t i n g s o m uc h p o w e r ex c l u si ve l y i n t h e l e gi s l a t i v e b r a n c h o f go v e r n m e n t . C o n st i t u t i on a l In t e r p r e t a t i o n , P r u d e nt i a l C o ns i d e r a t i o n . T h e D o c t r i n e o f ''S t r i c t N e c e s s i t y. '', E x c l u s i on of The Doctrine of Clear Mis take, Tests, P r e s u m pt i o n , of Stare

E x t r a - C o n st i t ut i o n a l Disallowance by

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D e c i s i s i n C o n s t i t ut i o n a l La w , a r e s o m e o f t h e l i m i t a t i o n s i n t r o du c e d f o r t h e j u di c i a l r e v i e w i n U S A . .

T h e l e gi t i m a c y o f c o n s t r u c t i o n b y a n u n e l e c t e d e n t i t y i n a r e p u b l i c a n o r a democratic s ys t e m becomes an i s s ue whenever the construction is

c o n t r o v e r s i a l i n US A ; i n t h e 1 9 6 0 s t o t h e p r e s e nt . A t s uc h a l e v e l , t he j u d i c i a l b o d y i s u sua l l y s t r i c t l y p r o h i b i t e d f r o m m a k i n g a ny l a w i n l e ga l s ys t e m s w h i c h s t r es s e s t h e l e gi s l a t i v e s u p r e m a c y. M o r e o v e r i t h a s n o p o w e r t o c h al l e n ge l a w s w hi c h w e r e m a d e b y t h e l e gi s l a t i v e b r a n c h . T h e r e i s n o j u d i c i a l r e v i e w . S o m e c o u nt r i e s d o n o t p e r m i t a n y r e v i e w o f t h e v a l i di t y o f p r i m a r y l e gi s l a t i o n . In t h e U n i t e d K i n gd o m , st a t u t es c a n n o t b e s et a s i d e u n d e r t h e p a r l i a m e nt a r y s o v e r e i gn t y . A n o t h e r ex a m pl e i s t h e N e t h e r l a n ds , w h e r e t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n hi gh l y f o r b i d s t h e c o u r t s t o r u l e o n t h e qu e s t i o n o f c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i t y o f p r i m a r y l e gi s l a t i o n .

O n e o f t h e w o nd e r f u l a s p e c t s o f In d i a n c o n st i t ut i on i s F u n d a m e n t al r i gh t s . T h e y p r o v i d e d a n i n d e p e n d e n t j u d i c i a r y f o r t h e p r o t e c t i o n o f t h e s e r i gh t s . A c c o r d i n g t o c o n s t i t u t i o n , p a r l i am e n t a n d s t a t e l e gi s l a t u r e i n In d i a h a v e t h e p o w e r t o m a k e t h e l a w s w i t hi n t h e i r j u r i s d i c t i o n. T h i s p o w e r i s n o t a b s o l ut e i n n a t u r e . T h e c o n s t i t u t i on p r o v i d e s i n j u di c i a r y, t h e p o w e r t o a d j ud i c a t e u p on t h e c o n s t i t ut i o n al va l i d i t y o f a l l t h e l a w s . If a l a w s m a d e b y p a r l i a m e n t o r st a t e l e gi s l at ur e v i o l a t e s a n y p r o v i s i on o f t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n , t h e S up r e m e C o u r t h a s p ow e r t o d e c l a r e s u c h a l a w i n v a l i d o r u l t r a v i r e s . S o t h e p r o c e s s o f j u di c i a l s c r u t i n y o f l e gi s l a t i v e a c t s i s c a l l e d J u d i ci a l R e vi e w .

A r t i c l e 3 6 8 o f t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n gi v e s t h e i m p r e s s i o n t ha t P a r l i a m e n t 's amending powers are absolute and encompass all parts of the document. B u t t h e S u p r e m e C o u r t h a s a c t e d a s a c o n t r o l l e r o f t h e l e gi s l a t u r e e v e r since independence. T h e q u e s t i o n w h e t h e r f u n d a m e n t a l r i gh t s c a n b e a m e n d e d u n d e r a r t i c l e 3 6 8 c a m e f o r c o n si de r a t i o n i n t h e S u p r em e C o u r t i n S h a n k ar i P r a s a d c a s e . T h e S u p r e m e C o u r t h e l d t h e p o w e r t o a m e n d i n cl u d i n g t h e f u n d a m e n t al r i gh t s i s c o n t a i n e d i n A r t i c l e 3 6 8 a n d t h e s a m e v i e w w a s t a k e n b y c o u r t i n S a j j a n S i ng h c a se . In G o l a k N a t h c a s e , t h e v a l i di t y o f 1 7 t h A m e n d m e nt w h i c h i n s e r t e d c e r t a i n a c t s i n N i n t h S c h e d u l e w a s a ga i n c h a l l e n ge d . T h e S u p r e m e C o u r t wh i c h r u l e d t h e p a r l i a m e n t h a d n o p o w e r t o a m e n d P a r t II I o f t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a n d i t o v e r r u l e d i t s e a r l i e r d e c i si o n i n S h an k a r i P r a s a d a n d S a j j a n S i n g h c a s e . T h e S u p r e m e C o u r t r e co gn i z e d b a s i c s t r u c t u r e c o n c e p t f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e i n t h e h i s t o ri c K e s a va n a n d a B h a ra t i c a s e i n 1 97 3 . E v e r s i n c e t h e S u p r e m e C o u r t h a s b e e n t he i n t e r p r e t e r o f t h e C o n s t i t ut i o n an d t h e a r b i t e r o f a l l amendments was made by

p a r l i a m e n t . T h e S up r e m e C o u r t d e c l a r e d t h a t A r t i c l e 3 6 8 d i d no t e n a bl e Parliament to alter the basic structure or framework of the Constitution a n d p a r l i a m e n t c o ul d n ot u s e i t s a m en d i n g p o w e r s u n d er A r t i c l e 3 6 8 t o 'd a m a ge ', 'e m a s c u l a t e ', 'd e s t r o y' , 'a b r o ga t e ', 'c h a n ge ' o r ' a l t e r ' t h e 'b a s i c s t r u c t u r e ' o r f r a m e w o r k o f t h e c o n s t i t u t i on . Basic Features of the

C o n s t i t ut i o n c o n c e p t w a s f u r t h e r s t re n gt h e n e d b y t h e E l e c t i o n c a s e v e r d i c t , t h e I n d i r a G a n d h i E l e c t i o n c a s e a n d b y M i n e r v a M i l l s an d Wa m a n R a o c a s e s . S o w e c a n s e e t h at i n In d i a n j u d ge s w o r k i n g a s t h e

gu a r d i a n s o f t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n . C o u r t s h a v e l ai d do w n v a r i o u s j ud gm e n t s t o p r ot e c t t h e b a s i c h u m a n r i gh t s o f e v e r y m e m b e r o f s o ci e t y. D u r i n g t h e l a st t w o d e c a d e s , J u d i c i al A c t i v i s m h a s p l a ye d a m a j o r r o l e i n p ro t e c t i n g t h e r i gh t s a n d f r e e d o m s o f i n d i vi d u a l s, a l o n g w i t h t h e c o n st i t u t i on . A f t e r t h e l a n d m a r k d e c i s i o n i n t h e M a n e k a G a n d hi c a s e , c o u r t s h a v e a s s u m e d a n a c t i v i s t p o st u r e a nd c a m e f o r w a r d t o r e s c u e a g gr i e v e d c i t i z en s .

J us t i c e B h a gw a t i f u r t h e r d e v e l o p e d t h e i d e a o f s o c i a l j u s t i c e t h r o u gh c o u r t s i n a n o t h e r c a s e i n w h i c h h e o b s er v e d t h e t i m e w h i c h h a s n o w c o m e w h e n t h e c o u r t s m us t b e c o m e t h e c o u r t f o r t h e po o r a n d s t ru g gl i n g m a s s e s o f t h i s c o u nt r y. P u b l i c i n t e r e s t l i t i ga t i o n a n d j u di c i a l a c t i v i sm h as t o u c h e d a l m o s t e v e r y a s p e c t o f l i f e . B e i n g t h e c a s e o f b o n d e d l a b ou r, r e h a b i l i t a t i o n o f f r e e d b o n d e d l a b o u r , p a ym e n t o f m i n i m u m w a ge s , p r o t e c t i o n o f p a v e m e n t a n d sl u m d w e l l e r s , j u v e ni l e o f fe n d e r s , P u bl i c i n t e r e s t l i t i ga t i o ns a n d j u d i c i a l a c t i v i s m h a v e c a p t u r ed a l m o s t e v e r y aspect of life. The child labour, i l l e ga l d e t e n t i o ns , torture and

m a l t r e a t m e n t o f w om a n i n p o l i c e l o c k - u p , t h e i m pl e m e n t at i o n o f v a r i ous p r o v i s i o n s o f t h e c on s t i t u t i o n , e n vi r o nm e n t p r o bl e m s , a n d t h e c o u r t s t oo k c o gn i z a n c e o f e a c h c a s e a n d l a i d d o w n v a r i o u s j u d gm e n t s t o p r o t e c t t he b a s i c h u m a n ri gh t s o f e a c h a n d e ve r y m e m b e r o f s o c i e t y. J u s t i ce B h a g w at i o b s e r v e d t h a t t h e j u d ge s i n I n d i a h a v e f o r t u n a t e l y a m o s t p o t e nt j u d i c i a l po w e r i n t h e i r h a n d s , n a m e l y t h e p o w e r o f j u d i ci a l r e v i e w . T h e j u d i c i a r y h a s t o p l a y a v i t a l a n d i m p o r t a n t r o l e n o t on l y i n p r e v e n t i n g t h e r e m e d yi n g a b u s e a n d m i s us e o f p o w e r b u t a l s o i n e l i m i n a t i n g e x p l oi t a t i o n a n d i n j us t i c e . It i s evi dent t h a t t h e j u d ge s w o r k i n g a s t h e gu a r d i a n s o f t h e c o n s t i t u t i on b y p r o t e c t i n g o r p r o m o t i n g f u n d a m e n t a l r i gh t s i n t h e c o n s t i t u t i on . R i ght t o l i v e a n d R i gh t t o p e r s o n a l l i b e r t y h a v e b e e n gi v e n a d e e p m e a n i n g t o i n c l u d e a l l t h e e s s e n t i a l r i gh t s f o r hu m a n l i f e w i t h di gn i t y a n d t h o s e r i gh t s a r e a v a i l a b l e i n t h e c h a n n e l s o f a n a c t i v i st j u di c i ar y. H o w e v e r i n s o m e s i t u a t i o n s t he j u d ge s e m o t i o n s c o u l d a f f e c t t h e j u d gm e n t s . If a j u d ge s h o u l d a c c e p t a j u d gm e n t w h i ch i s a ga i n s t h i s r e l i gi o n o r s o c i a l n o r m s , h e c a n t gi v e a p r o p e r j ud gm e n t a s hi s em o t i o ns a r e d i st u r b e d . W h e n t h e J u d i c i a l R e v i e w s e r v e s a s gu a r d i a n s t o p r ot e c t t h e c o n s t i t u t i on t h e y p r e f e r t h e s o f t r e v i e w o r t h e st r on g r e v i e w w h i c h d i f f e r s f r o m s t at e t o s t at e . T h e s t a t es f e e l t h a t t h e s o f t r e v i e w i s b e t t e r t h a n t h e st r o n g r e v i e w . A s i t d i f f e r s f r o m s t a t e t o st a t e , t h e c o un t r i e s su c h a s C a n a d a, u n i t e k i n gd o m p r e f e r t h e s o f t r e v i e w . T h i s i s c o m m o n l y e s t a b l i s h e d i n t h e c a s e o f M a r b u r y v s . M a d i s o n , wh i c h w as a r gu e d b e f o r e t h e S u p r e m e C ou r t i n 1 8 0 1. T h e l e gi s l a t u r e o f S r i La n k a f o l l o w s t h e s o f t r e v i ew .

T h e s o f t r e v i e w i s s u f f i c i e n t f o r i t ca n t b e t o t al l y r e j e c t e d a n d i t c a n p r o n o u n c e t h e l e ga l i t y o f l a w w h i l e t h e s t r o n g r e v i e w w o n t a l l o w a n y a m e n d m e n t i n l a w . S o t h e st a t e s h o ul d a c c e p t w h a t e v e r t h e r u l e ; u n d e r t h e s t r o n g r e v i e w . If a l a w i s h a r d t o a c c e p t i t w o u l d b e a m e n d e d w i t h J ud i c i a l P ro n o u n c e o r t h e c o u n s e l i n g t h e n s e n d b a c k t o t h e l e gi s l a t u r e t h r o u gh s o f t r e v i e w. In U n i t e d S t a t e s A m e r i c a a n d s o m e o t h e r c o u n t ri es w e c a n s e e b o t h s o ft a n d st r o n g r e v i e w s . H o w e v e r t h e j u d i c i a l r e v i e w h as f o r m e d i t s f e a t u r e s a n d c h a n ge d i t s w a y o f f u n c t i o n i n g m o r e e f f e c t i v e l y t o p r o t e c t t h e c o n st i t u t i on s i n e v e r y s t a t e .

W h e n c o ns i d e r i n g t h e a b o v e m at t e r s , w e c a n c l e a r l y i d e n t i f y t h a t t h e m i n o r i t y ge t a f f e c t e d i n e t h n i c r e l a t e d i s s u e s , w h e n t h e m aj o r i t y s c h o i c e is allowed to f un c t i o n the d e m o cr a c y. Therefore the courts are

r e s p o n s i bl y gi v e n t h e p o w e r t o m a k e c o r r e c t a n d f a i r d e c i s i o n s, w h i l e a c c e p t i n g t h e o p i ni o n s o f t h e m a j o r i t y. Li k e w i s e , i t i s n e c e s s a r y the

j u d ge s t o b e gu a r d i a n s o f c o n s t i t ut i o ns, t o p r o t e c t t h e f u n d a m e n t a l r i gh t s o f p e o p l e a n d t h e n a t i o n a l i nt e r e s t s of s t a t e s w i t h t h e he l p o f j u d i c i al review; such as pre-enactment review and post -enactment review, not gi v i n g a c h a n c e t o a n y e f f e c t t o v i o l a t e t h e p o w e r o f l e gi s l at u r e .