New Delhi: “Tell them our judgements are not to be played with,” Justice Rohinton Nariman of the Supreme Court told the Centre, Friday, a day after delivering a dissenting judgement in the Sabarimala temple review. Justice Nariman pointed out to the Centre that an impression has been cast that its officers don’t comply with court orders.
The observation by a bench headed by Justice Nariman came after the apex court granted relief to Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivakumar by dismissing the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) appeal against grant of bail to him. He also pulled up the ED, saying “this is not the way you deal with citizens’ rights.”
Justice Nariman also asked Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta to apprise the Centre and its officers of his dissenting judgement in the Sabrimala case.
“Ask your government and its officials to carefully read our judgement in Sabarimala. Tell them our judgements are not to be played with. Kindly instruct your officers to read what the court has said about Article 141,” said the judge. “Our orders must be complied with. We won’t allow any violation,” added the judge.
Justice Nariman also pointed out that government must read the ‘extremely important dissent’ order in the Sabarimala case.
Justice Nariman had penned the dissent order on behalf of himself and Justice DY Chandrachud. “Please tell your government to read the dissent judgment delivered in the Sabaimala case, which is extremely important…. Inform your authority and the government to read it and act accordingly,” he told the Solicitor General.
Justices Nariman and Chandrachud, who were a part of the five-judge Constitution bench in the Sabarimala case, had Thursday dissented from the majority verdict and had dismissed the plea seeking review of the apex court’s earlier judgment allowing entry of women of all ages to the Sabairmala temple.
Agencies