Legislature, Executive, Judiciary Should Work Together for Healthy Democracy: Tarun Gogoi

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said the legislature, executive and judiciary, the three main organs of the government have to work in tandem for a strong and healthy democracy.

Referring to Friday's judgement of the Supreme Court on National Judicial Appointment Commission (NJAC) Act, the chief minister said the independence of the judiciary has to be maintained to ensure justice, uphold the fundamental rights of the people and remove the inequities from which the anti-democratic forces derive their sustenance.

"The manner in which the Centre tried to have some sort of a control over the judiciary by trying to replace the collegium system is not in consonance with the spirit of our democratic polity," Mr Gogoi said.

"The legislature, the executive and the judiciary have to go together for a healthy democracy and that is the cardinal principle of our Constitution," he added.

The chief minister also slammed the Centre for making attempts at saffronising education and culture with 'Hindutva' ideology.

"The Central Government's attempts at saffronising education and culture with Hindutva ideology are not in conformity with the Constitution's cultural diversity and pluralism," Mr Gogoi said.

In this context, he took a dig at Assam Governor for nominating an RSS ideologue to Dibrugarh University's highest academic body drawing flak from different quarters.

The Supreme Court on Friday struck down as unconstitutional the NJAC Act, saying the legislations which gives a major role to the executive in appointing judges would breach the "independence" of the higher judiciary.