Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar has said that elected representatives are the ultimate masters in determining the content of the Constitution. Speaking at an event at Delhi University, the Vice-President emphasised that Parliament is supreme and it is as supreme as every individual in the country. He also said that the Constitution does not envision any authority above Parliament.
The Vice- President further added that people of India have chosen their representatives under the Constitution to reflect their expressions, their desire, and their ‘will’, and they hold these representatives accountable during elections.
Dhankhar said a Constitution is for the people, and its repository of safeguarding it is that of elected representatives. He said every word spoken by a constitutional functionary is guided by the supreme national interest. Citing two contradictory statements by the Supreme Court, Dhankhar said in the Golaknath case, the Apex Court had said that the preamble is not a part of the Constitution, and in the Keshavanand Bharati case, it says Preamble is part of the Constitution.
“I find it inconceivably intriguing that some have recently reflected that constitutional offices can be ceremonial or ornamental. Nothing can be far distanced from a wrong understanding of the role of everyone in this country, constitutional functionary or a citizen. According to me, a citizen is supreme because a nation and democracy are built by citizens. Every one of them has a role! The soul of democracy resides and pulsates in every citizen. Democracy will blossom, and its values will get heightened when a citizen is alert, a citizen contributes, and what a citizen contributes, there is no substitution for that.” Dhankhar said.
