TMC, AAP seek sacking of Assam Guv for campaigning in Rajasthan polls
Guwahati (PTI): The Assam units of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have demanded that state Governor Gulab Chand Kataria be sacked for allegedly campaigning for a BJP candidate contesting in the Rajasthan assembly elections.
No immediate comments could be obtained from either Kataria or Assam Governor's Office on the issue.
Issuing separate statements, the two parties have sought the intervention of the President and the Election Commission of India for taking action against the governor, who relinquished all political posts before joining the constitutional post.
"Assam Governor Gulab Chand Kataria is busy campaigning for the BJP in Udaipur, Rajasthan. This is a challenge to democracy, the Election Commission of India should take action against him," Assam TMC President Ripun Bora said in a post on X.
He also said it is "extremely shameful" that despite being the custodian of the Constitution, Kataria is campaigning for the BJP.
"He should be immediately sacked from his post," Bora said.
Sharing a statement of Assam TMC, he further alleged that Kataria campaigned for BJP candidate Tarachan Jain in Udaipur and it is a violation of the election norms as he holds a constitutional post.
"A few days ago, Assam Assembly's Deputy Speaker Numal Momin campaigned in Mizoram for the BJP and now it's Kataria. This is a serious violation of constitutional norms. As head of the state, the governor should not support any political party," the Assam TMC said in the statement.
These two examples show that the BJP is misusing its power to run an autocratic and undemocratic government, it added.
"We demand immediate intervention of the President and the Election Commission of India for sacking Governor Gulab Chand Kataria," the statement added.
AAP Assam coordinator Bhaben Choudhury said a governor should uphold the Constitution irrespective of caste, creed and religion by keeping himself above politics.
"However, Kataria has indulged in anti-constitutional activities by campaigning for a political party in an election. It has demeaned the post of a governor. It has blackened Indian politics," he added.
Demanding his immediate resignation, Choudhury said the party will write to the ECI for taking action against Kataria.
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Deep societal faultlines persist despite 75 years of independence: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
Judge cites denial of home to Muslim girl, opposition to Dalit women cooking mid-day meals
Hyderabad, February 23, 2026: Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has said that despite repeated affirmations of constitutional morality by courts, deep societal faultlines rooted in caste and religious discrimination continue to shape everyday realities in India.
Speaking at a seminar on “Constitutional Morality and the Role of District Judiciary” organised by the Telangana Judges Association and the Telangana State Judicial Academy in Hyderabad, Justice Bhuyan reflected on the gap between constitutional ideals and social practices.
He cited a recent instance involving his daughter’s friend, a PhD scholar at a private university in Noida, who was denied accommodation in South Delhi after her surname revealed her Muslim identity. According to Justice Bhuyan, the landlady bluntly informed her that no accommodation was available once her religious background became known.
In another example from Odisha, he referred to resistance by some parents to the government’s mid-day meal programme because the food was prepared by Dalit women employed as cooks. He noted that some parents had objected aggressively and refused to allow their children to consume meals cooked by members of the Scheduled Caste community.
Describing these incidents as “the tip of the iceberg,” Justice Bhuyan said they reveal how far society remains from the benchmark of constitutional morality even 75 years into the Republic. He observed that while the Constitution lays down standards of equality and dignity, the morality practised within homes and communities often diverges sharply from those values.
He emphasised that constitutional morality requires governance through the rule of law rather than the rule of popular opinion. Referring to the evolution of the doctrine through judicial decisions, he cited Naz Foundation v Union of India, in which the Delhi High Court read down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, holding that popular morality cannot restrict fundamental rights under Article 21. Though the judgment was later overturned in Suresh Kumar Koushal v Naz Foundation, the Supreme Court ultimately restored and expanded the principle in Navtej Singh Johar v Union of India, affirming that constitutional morality must prevail over majoritarian views.
“In our constitutional scheme, it is the constitutionality of the issue before the court that is relevant, not the dominant or popular view,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also addressed the functioning of the district judiciary, underlining that trial courts are the first point of contact for most litigants and form the foundation of the justice delivery system. He stressed that due importance must be given to the recording of evidence and adjudication of bail matters.
Highlighting the role of High Courts, he said their supervisory jurisdiction under Article 227 of the Constitution is intended as a shield to correct grave jurisdictional errors, not as a mechanism to substitute the discretion or factual appreciation of trial judges.
He recalled that several distinguished judges, including Justice H R Khanna, Justice A M Ahmadi, and Justice Fathima Beevi, began their careers in the district judiciary.
On representation within the judicial system, Justice Bhuyan noted that Telangana has made significant strides in gender inclusion. Out of a sanctioned strength of 655 judicial officers in the Telangana Judicial Service, 478 are currently serving, of whom 283 are women, exceeding 50 per cent representation. He added that members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minority communities, and persons with disabilities are also represented in the state’s judiciary.
He observed that greater representation of women, marginalised communities, persons with disabilities, and sexual minorities would help make the judiciary more inclusive and reflective of India’s diversity. “The judiciary must represent all the colours of the rainbow and become a rainbow institution,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also referred to the recent restoration by the Supreme Court of the requirement of a minimum three years of practice at the Bar for entry-level judicial posts. While acknowledging that the requirement ensures practical exposure, he cautioned that its impact on women aspirants, especially those from rural or small-town backgrounds facing social and financial constraints, would need to be carefully observed over time.
Concluding his address, he reiterated that the justice system must strive to bridge the gap between constitutional ideals and lived realities, ensuring that the rule of law remains paramount.
