Former Supreme Court judge Jasti Chelameswar delivers a lecture on ‘The 75-year Journey of the Constitution of India’, in Chennai on Saturday, April 19, 2025
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

When judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts have the authority to declare laws passed by Parliament or State Legislatures unconstitutional, they would also have the power to issue directions to constitutional authorities such as the President and Governors to perform public functions, said former Supreme Court judge Jasti Chelameswar in Chennai on Saturday (April 19, 2025).

He was responding to a question posed by Madras High Court retired judge C.T. Selvam, after delivering a lecture on ‘The 75-year journey of the Constitution of India’, organised by Rakesh Law Foundation (RLF) in association with Rojah Muthiah Research Library (RMRL), celebrating the 24^th birth anniversary of Rakesh Ranganathan, son of senior advocate and DMK Rajya Sabha member N.R. Elango.

Referring to Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar’s recent outburst against the Supreme Court having prescribed a timeline of three months for the President to act upon Bills referred by the Governors, he said: “If you and I, as judges, can declare a law made by Parliament unconstitutional, to believe that they have no power to direct a public office holder to do a public act, to my mind, would be constitutionally doubtful, because I will not subscribe to that theory.”

Earlier, in his lecture, Mr. Chelameswar said, the completion of 75 years since the Constitution came into force in the country must be taken as an opportunity to introspect than celebrate. He said that the more than 100 amendments made to the Constitution over the last 75 years, the “insane amount of money” spent by candidates to win elections, and the mounting arrears caused by insufficient budgetary allocation for the judiciary were all matters of concern.

Justice G.R. Swaminathan of the Madras High Court; N. Ravi, Director, Kasturi and Sons; and P.K. Sekarbabu, Tamil Nadu Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments, participated in the event. Retired Madras High Court judge G.M. Akbar Ali moderated the interaction. RMRL director G. Sundar, RLF vice chairperson Ragavi Elango, treasurer Stalin Abhimanyu, and assistant treasurer M. Ranjith also spoke.