india

Updated: Aug 11, 2019 23:24 IST

Calling for speedy disposal of cases and enhancing accessibility to the litigant public, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday suggested setting up of the Supreme Court Benches in major cities.

“It is high time to have Supreme Court Benches in at least four major cities. One could be established in Chennai to start with,” he said, on the occasion of the launch of his book on completing two years in office as Vice President.

Referring to the Standing Committee’s recommendations, Naidu said there is a need for the Supreme Court Benches in the southern, western and eastern regions. This would rule out the need for people to travel long distances, he pointed out.

While maintaining that more judges are required for clearing the mounting pendency of cases, Naidu also expressed support for the idea of having two divisions of the apex court, one entrusted with Constitutional matters and the other for appeals.

At the same time, he also called for a relook on the system of appointments to the higher judiciary. At present, it is the Collegium, comprising four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court, which decides on judicial appointments.

The Vice President, underlining the need to revisit the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, also known as the anti-defection law, said, “We should discuss this and come to a conclusion. Legislatures are for debate, discussion without disruption. Further, credibility, capability and capacity should be the yardstick for anyone to enter the legislature and not caste, cash and criminality.” A comprehensive relook on the statute is required, he emphasised.

Expressing dismay at the inordinate delay in the adjudication of election petitions, he said that justice delayed is justice denied. He said election petitions should be disposed of in time or else it would amount to travesty of justice. Citing an instance, he pointed out that a petition challenging the election of a Lok Sabha member filed in 2009 was still pending. “Even after the 2014 and 2019 parliamentary polls, it is pending in the court,” he regretted.

The Vice President said these cases should be decided within six months.

On his post-retirement plans, Naidu said he would quit active politics and engage himself in social service. “I have told Prime Minister Narendra Modi about my options,” he said.