No case is too small, says CJI Chandrachud, after Rijiju suggests to SC to avoid ‘frivolous cases’
New Delhi: Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud said on Friday that the Supreme Court considered no case as ‘too small’, adding that the lack of intervention in issues related to personal liberty could cause ‘serious miscarriage of justice’.
The comments of the Chief Justice came two days after Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju suggested in the Rajya Sabha that the apex court could avoid handling bail pleas and ‘frivolous PILs’ and focus on clearing the stock of pending cases, reports Hindustan Times.
Justice Chandrachud was on Friday heading a bench hearing a case of a man from Uttar Pradesh who had been sentenced for two years of imprisonment for theft of electricity.
“No case is too small for the Supreme Court and no case is too big because we have to answer the call of conscience and the cry of liberty of our citizens. That is why we are here and these are not one-off cases. If we do not act in matters of personal liberty and grant relief, then what are we doing here?” the CJI has said.
Law Minister Rijiju had, on Wednesday, said in Parliament that the Supreme Court should handle not bail applications but rather deal with constitutional matters to prevent pendency of cases. The minister, however, has been at odds with the Supreme Court regarding the appointment of judges. He also supported the National Judicial Appointment Commission, a proposed government body to replace the collegiums system of recruitment of judges. The Supreme Court, however, rejected the proposal in 2015, terming such a panel unconstitutional.
Rijiju had also commented on the ‘long vacations’ availed by the court, saying it inconvenienced the people. “There is a feeling among people of India that the long vacation which the courts obtain is not very convenient for justice-seekers,” he had said.
While the Supreme Court has vacation benches to hear cases during its summer breaks, these benches are not availed during the winter breaks. Also, the Chief Justice has announced that the Supreme Court would not have vacation benches during the winter break this year, which would be between December 19, 2022 and January 2, 2023.
Justice Chandrachud on Friday said that, while a case like theft of electricity could not be elevated to that of murder, the court would be failing in its duty under Article 136 of the Constitution if it does not intervene in a situation of miscarriage of justice.
“The right to personal liberty is a precious and inalienable right recognised by the Constitution,” he added.
Article 136 permits the Supreme Court to take up any appeal against judgments passes by any court or tribunal in the country.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
