The proposition affirms that Parliament's power under Article 124 to legislatively increase Supreme Court judge strength is constitutionally valid and does not encroach upon judicial independence.
Aaj ki debate ka motion yeh hai: 'Parliament Has the Constitutional Authority to Expand Supreme Court Bench Strength' — yani kya Parliament ke paas yeh adhikar hai ki woh Supreme Court ke judges ki sankhya badha sake? Yeh ek atyant mahattvapurna constitutional sawaal hai jo judiciary ki independence aur legislative authority ke beech ke naazuk santulan ko chhoota hai. Main Counsel Aarav se nivedan karungi ki woh apna paksh rakhna shuru karen.
My lord, main yeh sthapit karna chahta hoon ki Parliament ke paas poora constitutional adhikar hai Supreme Court ki bench strength ko expand karne ka — aur is motion ka jawab seedha Article 124(1) ke framework mein milta hai, jo Parliament ko yeh tay karne ka mauka deta hai ki Supreme Court mein kitne Judges honge. Lekin isse bhi aage, Constitution of India ka Article 32 — jo Baba Saheb Ambedkar ne 'heart and soul of the Constitution' kaha tha — yeh guarantee karta hai ki har nagarik ko fundamental rights ki enforcement ka rasta Supreme Court tak khula rahe; aur agar Court backlog aur delay se dabbi ho, to Article 32 ka yeh promise hollow ho jaata hai. Isliye bench expansion na sirf Parliament ka adhikar hai, balki ek constitutional zimmedari bhi hai — taaki nyay mein deri, nyay se inkaar na ban jaaye.
Ref: Constitution of India · Article 32
My lord, main is motion ka poora vipaksh karti hoon — Parliament ke paas Supreme Court ki bench strength badhane ki constitutional authority hai, yeh kehna aadha sach hai jo poori tasveer nahi dikhata. Article 124 ke antargat yeh power explicit roop se framers ne judicial independence ki suraksha ke saath balanced ki hai, aur Parliament ka unilateral intervention us balance ko todta hai — jo ki separation of powers ke core principle ke khilaf jaata hai. Aur jo Article 247 paksh ki taraf se pesh kiya ja sakta hai, woh 'additional courts' ke liye hai, Supreme Court ki composition ke liye nahi — yeh ek fundamentally alag sawaal hai.
Ref: Constitution of India · Article 32
My Lord, vipaksh yeh nahi bata saka ki Constitution mein kaunsa explicit provision Parliament ko yeh authority DENE SE ROKTA hai — kyunki aisa koi provision hai hi nahi. Article 124(1) saaf kehta hai 'until Parliament by law prescribes a larger number' — yani Constitution ne khud Parliament ko yeh power de rakhi hai bench strength badhaane ki. Aur Supreme Court Number of Judges Act, 1956 — jo Parliament ne hi banaya — yeh living proof hai ki yeh authority kabhi bhi judicially challenged nahi hui, kyunki yeh constitutionally grounded hai.
My Lord, paksh ne Article 124 ka naam liya, lekin meri dalil yeh hai ki Parliament ka yeh expansion sirf judicial convenience ke naam par nahi, balki Article 39A ke mandate ko fulfill karne ki constitutional zimmedari hai — equal justice tab tak adhuri hai jab tak Supreme Court ki capacity cases ke bojh se dabbi rahe. Aur A2 jo humein di gayi hai, Article 247, woh Parliament ko explicit power deta hai additional courts establish karne ki 'better administration of laws' ke liye — yeh discretionary nahi, yeh constitutional tool hai jo Parliament ke haath mein diya gaya hai. Isliye vipaksh ka stand clear hai: Parliament ko yeh authority hai, aur iska upyog karna judicial access aur Article 39A dono ka taqaza hai.
Ref: Constitution of India · Article 32; Constitution of India · Article 39A
Aaj ki is debate mein hum ek atyant mahatvapurn constitutional sawaal par vichar kar rahe the — kya Parliament ke paas Supreme Court ki bench strength badhane ka adhikar hai? Ek taraf yeh argument tha ki Article 124 aur Parliament ki legislative supremacy is adhikar ko sthaapit karti hai, jabki doosri taraf concern tha ki aise kisi bhi kadam mein judicial independence ki raksha honi chahiye. Meri balanced legal suggestion yeh hogi ki Parliament is vishay par ek transparent, consultative legislative framework banaye — jisme Chief Justice of India aur judiciary ka meaningful input shamil ho — taaki bench expansion agar ho, toh woh access to justice ke liye ho, na kisi aur uddeshy ke liye. Ab main citizens se nivedan karungi ki woh is debate ko rate karen aur apni raay zaroor sajha karen.
Ref: Constitution of India · Article 32; Constitution of India · Article 39A