Supreme Court Justices extremely unhappy with the Government

Even after repeated judgements against the policy of Reservations, the Government has seen to be critical of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court Justices were extremely unhappy with the Government's attitude and asked the Attorney General to advice the Government to exercise self-restraint. Time and again in the past two decades the Supreme Court has stood up to the Government (even though the Government has, on many occassions taken political decisions not in the best interests of the country

For example one of the worst pieces of such action was the Rajiv Gandhi's hurried legislation after the Shah Bano verdict}). [jeez ... a Google search for 'Shah Bano' shows that the case has become a case study in many Universities, even in the Western world, and here we had a Computer Literate Prime Minister bowing down to the religious fanatics and allowing religion to dictate civillity] However, it must be said that a subsequent re-interpretation of Rajiv Gandhi's Act by the Supreme Court in 2001 actually decided that the Muslim woman's rights went beyond the “few months” that the legislation had intended.

India is certainly one country where the Supreme Court stands apart from the Government formed by a political party. The Supreme Court applies what, in it's opinion, is true and fair interpreation of the Constitution and the rights of Indian citizens while the Ruling Party in government more often than not takes a stand that is driven by short-term and narrow interests. In the current case, the Supreme Court has found, quite rightly, found fault with the Reservation Policy and favours merit for admission to academic institutions. Time and again we have raised our voices against this. (I was a student in Gujarat during the worst anti-reservation riots by students). Yet the political leaders have thought it fit to serve political interests without sufficient support for meritorious students (and the with the danger to Indian citizens when inadequately competent engineers and doctors are let loose !).