Friction between judiciary, executive good for checks and balances: Former SC judge S K Kaul

New Delhi: Former Supreme Court judge Sanjay Kishan Kaul on Saturday said a little bit of underlying friction between the judiciary and the executive is good to maintain checks and balances in a democracy.

Addressing a function to confer the Sansad Ratna Awards on parliamentarians, Justice Kaul said the checks and balances of a democracy were enunciated in the Constitution which provides for an administration, a legislature and the court.

"Since we have a democracy based on the first past the post concept where most governments would be having less than 50 per cent of the votes, the court plays an important role in maintaining a check and balance on the system,' he said.

Justice Kaul, quoting a former chief justice, said 'a little bit of underlying tension is good. If things are very hunky-dory between the judiciary and the executive, then we have a problem'.

Telangana Governor Tamilsai Soundarajan, National Commission for Backward Classes Chairman Hansraj Ahir, Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni also addressed the function.

As many as 12 parliamentarians and three parliamentary committees were conferred with the Sansad Ratna Awards by a Chennai-based NGO Prime Point Foundation here on Saturday.

The Sansad Ratna awards were conferred upon Sudhir Gupta (BJP), Shrikanth Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena), Sukanta Majumdar (BJP), Kuldeep Rai Sharma (Congress) and Amol Kolhe (NCP).

The Sansad Maha Ratna awards given once in five years for consistent performance in the 17th Lok Sabha was conferred upon N K Premachandran (RSP), Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury (Congress), Bidyut Baran Mahato (BJP), and Heena Gavit (BJP).

The Sansad Utkrisht Maha Ratna awards were given to Supriya Sule (NCP), Shrirang Appa Barne (Shiv Sena) and Bhartruhari Mahtab (BJD). The three awardees received the Sansad Maha Ratna Awards and were honoured for their exemplary performance in the 17th Lok Sabha as well.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture chaired by P C Gaddigoudar (BJP), Finance, chaired by Jayant Sinha (BJP) and the Transport and Tourism Committee presently chaired by Vijayasai Reddy (YSR Congress) and former chairman T G Venkatesh (BJP) were conferred with the Sansad Maha Ratna awards.

The committees were honoured for their consistent contributions based on sittings and the reports presented by them, relying on the data commensurate with the term of 17th Lok Sabha.