Indian President urges judiciary to work within own sphere

Indian President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday urged the judiciary to function within its own sphere and cautioned it against "judicial activism".

"Each organ of our democracy must function within its own sphere and must not take over what is assigned to the others," President Mukherjee told judges at a function in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh's capital Bhopal.

He added "Judicial activism should not lead to the dilution of separation of powers, which is a constitutional scheme. The balance of power between the three organs of the state is enshrined in our Constitution. The Constitution is supreme."

Explaining that the equilibrium in the exercise of authority must be maintained at all times, the president said "The only check possible in the exercise of powers by the judiciary is self-imposed discipline and self-restraint by the judiciary itself."

He also spoke of the independence and integrity of the judiciary, saying "They are of the highest importance, not only to the judges but also to people at large". Endit