‘SC judges must avoid harsh words’

Ravi Shankar Prasad disapproves of terms like ‘constitutional fraud’

New Delhi, July 8: Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in Rajya Sabha Monday that the Supreme Court judges should avoid “harsh words” and referred to the observations like “constitutional fraud” in the minority judgement in the landmark Aadhaar verdict.

Replying to a debate on a bill to amend law to allow voluntary use of Aadhaar as ID proof for opening bank accounts and obtaining mobile phone connections, Mr Prasad said the government respects apex court judges and they too should reciprocate.

“It is a remarkable minority judgment... With all humility I want to say this in the House today. We respect Supreme Court judges but use of words such as constitutional fraud should not happen,” the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, who is also the minister for information and technology, said.

He did not name the judge but his comments clearly seemed in response to Congress leader Jairam Ramesh citing a 500-page dissenting judgement by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud on the passage of the Aadhaar Bill as a money bill in Parliament under the BJPled government's first term .

Mr Ramesh had quoted the judge to say that the Act “constitutes a fraud on the Constitution.”

“Passing of a Bill as a Money Bill, when it does not qualify for it, damages balance of bicameralism which is part of the basic structure of the Constitution,” Mr Ramesh quoted the judge as saying.

The Supreme Court by a majority judgement had upheld passing of the Aadhaar Bill as Money Bill.

Money Bills can be introduced only in Lok Sabha and must be returned by Rajya Sabha to Lok Sabha within 14 days or the bill is deemed to have been passed by both houses in the form passed by the Lok Sabha.

◗ Ravi Shankar Prasad said the govt respects apex court judges and they too should reciprocate

◗ He was replying to a debate on a bill to amend law to allow voluntary use of Aadhaar as ID proof