'We Are Trying To Cut Down Article 32 Jurisdiction': Chief Justice of India

For the second day in a row, the Chief Justice of India expressed the disinclination to entertain writ petitions under Article 32 of the Constitution of India.

"'We are trying to cut down the Article 32 jurisdiction", CJI S A Bobde said on Tuesday.

The CJI made the above statement to Senior Advocate Meenakshi Arora who was appearing in a writ petition under Article 32 in an election matter, complaining of the High Court not giving an early date for the hearing. 

Observing that there has been a spate of petitions under Article 32 recently, the CJI said: "we do not appreciate this".

The writ petition was disposed of granting liberty to the petitioner to make a representation before the Chief Justice of the High Court to seek an early hearing of the election petition.

Yesterday also, the CJI had made similar remarks while hearing the habeas corpus petition filed by the Kerala Union of Working Journalists(KUWJ) seeking the release of Malayalam journalist Siddique Kappan from custody.

"We are trying to discourage Article 32 petitions", the CJI had told Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, who was appearing for the KUWJ.

The CJI-led bench had also refused to entertain the Article 32 petition filed by Sameet Thakkar yesterday.

"High Court can also uphold your fundamental rights. High Court can also protect you", the CJI told Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, who was appearing for Thakkar.