Is the separation of power an obstacle to remove which Lord Ganesha can be summoned?
Published on: 15 September 2024, 07:10 am
Modaks and laddoos fly in this delectable tale of executive–judiciary bonhomie.
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IN a historic yet festive moment, the incumbent Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dr D.Y. Chandrachud, who is set to retire on November 10 this year, extended a unique invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Ganesh Chaturthi at his residence.
Was this just a friendly celebration of divine pachyderm worship, or was it a subtle legal negotiation cloaked in modak-filled camaraderie? His delightful gesture left legal experts scratching their heads and wondering: is this a new precedent in judicial-executive relations, or just an epic way to mix law with laddoos?
The invitation: A constitutional conundrum
First things first, inviting a Prime Minister to your home is no small feat. But inviting him to a Ganesh Chaturthi celebration? That is like inviting someone to a dinner party and serving only the finest constitutional paan and modaks.
Some might argue this could be a strategic move in judicial diplomacy, but let us be real. It is more likely that CJI Chandrachud just wanted to see if Modi could handle his spiciest sambhar, a South Indian dish befitting a leader who aspires to be the leader of the Global South.
“Article 50 of the Indian Constitution, which mandates the separation of powers between the judiciary and executive, may need revision. After all, nothing separates better than a plate of laddoos and modaks, right?
Could a sitting CJI invite the head of the executive branch for festive dharma at his humble abode? Was this a mere celebration, or an elaborate attempt to establish jurisprudence on inter-institutional Ganesh festivities?