Ex CJI disagrees with SC refusing to intervene into statue row

NEW DELHI: Former Chief Justice of India J S Verma has disagreed with the apex court's view declining to intervene into the UP cabinet decision on installing statues including that of Chief Minister Mayawati in the state.

"If judiciary can go into the decision of cabinet pertaining to article 356 (in S R Bommai case) and judicial review is available to check the ultra vires of constitutional amendment, then I fail to understand why it cannot go into the statue issue," he said.

He was speaking at a convention on 'City Development: Sustainability and Legal Interface' organised by CII and Bar Association of India.

Justice Verma referred to the order of apex court on July 10 expressing its inability to do anything as the installation of statues (of elephant and UP CM Mayawati) had the mandate of the (state) cabinet to say that the judiciary can very well review a cabinet decision.

Justice Verma also took the political leaders to task for believing that they can do whatever they wish to during their tenure in public offices.

"Policy adopted by various people to do whatever you can while in the office like installing statute in public places..., huge stretch of land is being cleared for the sake of installing statute of elephants, if it is of person it can be said okay," he said.