Decision timely, not hasty: Naidu

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 24

A day after he rejected Congress-led opposition parties’ impeachment motion seeking the removal of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra, Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday said his decision was “timely and not a hasty one” and one that came after over a month of due diligence.

“Freedom of expression allows that but ultimately truth prevails. I have done the just thing in the best possible manner expected of me,” sources quoted Naidu as saying, apparently in response to the Opposition’s criticism over the “speed” at which he disposed of the motion.

The Congress termed it “hasty, illegal and ill-informed”. However, sources said the Chairman specifically referred to media reports for over a month about the Congress moving a notice against CJI while making his case.

Naidu also said the CJI was the highest judicial functionary of the country and “any issue in public domain concerning him requires to be resolved at the earliest following prescribed procedures so as to prevent the atmosphere from being further vitiated.”

Naidu also said his decision was in strict conformity with provisions of the Constitution…. The Rajya Sabha chairman’s office is not a mere post office but a Constitutional functionary, he said.

Meanwhile, on indication that the Congress would challenge the order in the Supreme Court, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said Parliament was supreme in its own jurisdiction and its process could not be subjected to judicial review.

“For the Congress party to carry forward its mistake of subjecting legislative processes to judicial review would be a blunder. Parliament is supreme in its own jurisdiction. Its process cannot be subjected to judicial review,” Jaitley said in his Facebook post — “Why the Malafide Impeachment Motion was bound to fail?”

RS Chairman on surprise check

• Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday conducted a surprise check of secretariat offices located in the Parliament Annexe and its new extension 
• He found staff missing from offices, electric wires and cables dangling in the open and a toilet block emitting foul smell at the start of working day
• In his 40-minute round, a first by any RS Chairman, Naidu directed introduction of biometric attendance system for RS secretariat staff