Court crossing 'lakshman rekha' by taking upon executive functions: Jairam Ramesh

KANNUR: Union Minister Jairam Ramesh said there was a very dangerous trend of the courts "crossing the Lakshman Rekha" and taking upon themselves the functions that belong to the executive, remarks that came a day after the Supreme Court in a verdict said that bureaucrats should not act on verbal orders given by political bosses.

"It is not judgement. It is verbal orders of Supreme Court and there is already a civil service establishment board with the central government. We will have more such verbal orders because the tribe of retired civil servants who gain enlightenment after retirement has increased in our country," he said at a 'Meet the Press' programme here.

The Rural Development Minister gave his reaction when asked about yesterday's Supreme Court order.

"Seven years ago, the Supreme Court passed order on police reforms...similar orders.... Please ask yourself... are those orders being implemented in the states?," the Minister asked.

"And there is a very dangerous trend in our country aided by retired civil servants and do good social activists... very dangerous trend of the court crossing the Lakshman Rekha and taking upon themselves functions that belong to the executive... to the government," he said.

"The Supreme Court wants democracy and openness. But it is not prepared to practice the same thing when it comes to the appointment of judges," he said.

Attacking the retired bureaucrats who approached Supreme Court seeking its intervention for insulating bureaucracy from political masters, Ramesh said, "the number of PILs are being filed by the retired civil servants who when they were in service served their political masters very well.

"Now, after retirement they suddenly discover that politicians are all very mad."