Political comments by courts being misused by vested interests, says MLC Varaprasad 

Vijayawada: YSR Congress MLC Dokka Manikya Varaprasad has prayed to the honourable courts to refrain from making political comments. “This would only serve the aims of vested interests and goes against the true spirit of the Constitution. It would also mean an overstepping of one’s terrain,” he said.

Speaking to the media here on Sunday, the MLC said some comments made by judges are being misused by political adversaries, organisations and a section of the media to serve their political agenda. “This is not fair. The thin line dividing the powers of the three constitutional bodies should not be crossed.”

Varaprasad said, for instance, the recent court remarks of ‘SC welfare,’ ‘People turning into thieves’ and telling the advocate general that ‘your government will not fall’ were flared up by the media to the advantage of vested interests. Such off-the-cuff remarks that do not form part of the judgments are being misused. Such embarrassing situations could be best avoided,” he said.

The MLC pointed out that the Supreme Court and former President Ramnath Kovind had stressed about the restraint the courts must maintain while passing comments. Else, these could be used by political parties and others for their selfish purposes.”

He said, in one instance, the Madras High Court was told by the apex court to refrain from making such critical remarks. A judge observing that he could not tell his kin ‘where the capital city of Andhra Pradesh is’ was reported in a section of the media recently.

“Such comments send out a wrong signal, that too at a time when the issue of three capitals is pending before courts. Comments and remarks that do not form part of the judgment would be blown out of proportion by political adversaries and the ‘slanted’ media, which is not fair and it defeats the spirit of the Constitution,” he said.

Varaprasad said, “If such comments are made as part of a judgement, we have the right to file an appeal. This is fair. But, sheer remarks by itself will be taken undue advantage of by vested interests. Such situations might mean crossing the boundaries of the institution of judiciary.”

He stated that getting a mandate was the job of a political party and not of the judiciary or the media. “The separation of powers of these institutions as is envisaged in the Constitution should be respected.”

He pointed out that people moved courts as a last resort and the directions given by the judiciary would be followed by the government. ”So, such remarks would create confusion."

He also quoted remarks made by a court on the issue of state capital and its telling the AG that “the government will not fall if…” as another example of comments that are seen to be out of the purview of the judiciary.

Stating that the YSRC government, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and the AP legislature have full faith in the judiciary, the MLC said, “We have utmost respect for the judiciary and pray to the honourable courts to refrain from making political comments that do not form part of the judgements as such remarks would be misused by vested intersts for their advantage.”