Dhankhar Implores RS Opposition MPs to Engage in Lawmaking

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar criticized opposition Rajya Sabha members with legal backgrounds for neglecting their legislative duties and prioritizing legal work. He lamented the absence of senior advocates, such as P Chidambaram and Kapil Sibal, during crucial legislative proceedings. Dhankhar highlighted the importance of their expertise in shaping laws like the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Act and questioned the lack of participation in debates. He also expressed concern over the perception of the alternative dispute resolution mechanism in India as an "old boys club" and called for a comprehensive review.

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday targetted some opposition Rajya Sabha members with legal background for ''running away'' from their constitutional ordainment and not ''discharging'' their duties towards legislation making.

Dhankhar, who is also the chairperson of the Rajya Sahba, said that he would ''never'' see them in the Upper House of Parliament at least in the early part of the day on Mondays and Fridays.

The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha start functioning from 11 am when Parliament is in session.

In the Supreme Court, Mondays and Fridays are designated as ''miscellaneous days'' when a lot of cases, including new ones are listed for hearing.

''I express my anguish and pain that Rajya Sabha has gifted senior advocates as members. I wish they would contribute to legislation making,'' Dhankhar said at an event here.

He said the House has senior advocates P Chidambaram, Kapil Sibal, K T S Tulsi, Abhishek Singhvi, Vivek Tankha as members.

''I wish they had spared time to participate in the proceedings of the Upper House, the House of Elders. I wish they had discharged their constitutional ordainment,'' Dhankhar said.

The vice president said there was a lack of participation by legal luminaries who were ''running away'' from their constitutional ordainment and not discharging their public duties.

He said this while referring to the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Act, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita Act and the Bharatiya Sakshya Act which were enacted by Parliament recently.

On an earlier occasion, Dhankhar had said that the legal luminaries could have contributed more when these Bills were being discussed by the Rajya Sabha.

Referring to the alternative dispute redressal mechanism in the country, the vice president referred to the concern expressed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud that the arbitration space in India resembles an ''old boys club'' and that nowhere in the world is arbitration in such a ''tight fist'' control by former judges as in India.

Dhankhar said there is a perception that the Indian alternative dispute settlement mechanism adds ''one more tier'' to the national litigation ladder system.

He said there is a strong urge and tendency to invoke Article 136 of the Constitution which was meant for a ''narrow slit window''. But now the wall is demolished and it is being invoked massively, Dhankhar said.

Article 136 deals with the special leave to appeal by the Supreme Court. It means that the Supreme Court is authorised to grant in its discretion special leave to appeal from any judgement in any matter passed by any court or tribunal in the territory of India (except military tribunal and court-martial).

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