Rowing at Olympics: India's Panwar finishes 4th in heat, moves to repechage
Chateauroux (France) (PTI): India's lone rower in Paris Olympics, Balraj Panwar moved to the repechages after finishing fourth in heat 1 of the men's singles scull competition here on Saturday.
The 25-year-old Panwar came up with a time of 7:07.11 to finish behind New Zealand's Thomas Mackintosh (6:55.92), Stefanos Ntouskos (7:01.79) and Abdelkhalek Elbanna (7:05.06).
The top three in each heat qualifies for the quarterfinals.
In repechages, Panwar will have a second chance to advance to the semifinals or finals.
Panwar had finished 4th at the 2022 Asian Games in China, and claimed a bronze medal at the Asian and Oceanian Olympic Qualification Regatta in Korea.
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Judiciary not here to perform Opposition’s role: Former CJI DY Chandrachud
New Delhi: Former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, in an exclusive interview with ANI, addressed recent remarks made by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, who stated that the Opposition has taken it upon themselves to "do the task of the judiciary." Responding to this, Chandrachud clarified that the judiciary's role is to scrutinise laws and ensure they are consistent with the Constitution, not to serve as an opposition force.
"People should not presume that the judiciary should perform the role of the opposition in Parliament or state legislatures. Too often, there's a misconception that the judiciary must act as an opposition. We are here to scrutinise laws and assess executive action for its consistency with the law and the Constitution," said the former CJI.
He further emphasised that in a democracy, there is a distinct space for political opposition and that using the judiciary to fulfil such a role undermines its primary function. "What people try to do is use the judiciary to shoot from its shoulders and convert the Court into a space for political opposition," Chandrachud remarked.
Rahul Gandhi had earlier commented, "We are alone working on behalf of the media, investigative agencies, and judiciary also. This is the reality of India."
When questioned about interactions with leaders from both the Opposition and the ruling party, Chandrachud explained that social interactions are natural during official meetings, such as those required for appointments. "After official discussions, spending a few minutes socialising over tea is normal. We are human beings after all," he said, adding that such moments do not compromise judicial independence.
Regarding the controversy surrounding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to his residence during Ganpati Puja, Chandrachud called it a social courtesy. "Such visits are not unique. Prime Ministers have visited judges’ homes on social occasions or even during times of personal loss. These courtesies do not affect the independence of our work," he said.
In September, PM Modi’s visit to Chandrachud’s residence for Ganpati Puja drew criticism from Opposition parties, including Congress and Trinamool Congress, over potential conflict of interest. However, Chandrachud maintained that these interactions are part of elementary social courtesy and do not impact the judiciary's independence.
