Gaps in statute must be filled: Jethmalani

By J. Venkatesan

NEW DELHI, JAN. 19. The Union Law Minister, Mr. Ram Jethmalani today lauded the founding fathers of the Constitution for giving the nation one of the finest principal laws to guide its destiny.

Speaking after releasing the pocket size edition of the Constitution in diglot form (in twin languages) in English and Hindi, he said the Indian Constitution was the best in the world. Except for certain amendments which were `disgraceful', the other amendments were quite useful and in tune with the requirements of the people.

Though the basic structure had remained intact, there was scope for further review to fill the gaps and hence the government was going ahead with the appointment of the committee to review the Constitution.

He said all sections of society would be represented in the Committee. ``When the Constituent Assembly took three years to draft the Constitution, it is hoped that this Committee would give its report in six months'', he said.

The pocket size diglot edition of the Constitution is the first of its kind brought out by the Legislative Department of the Law Ministry and is considered an achievement of the millennium.

It incorporates upto the 78th amendment (1995) and coincides with the completion of 50 years of the commencement of the Constitution and is intended to reach out to the masses conversant with English and Hindi languages.

The Law Ministry has embarked on a major plan to bring out various legislations in pocket size editions. All Central legislations would be put on the Internet and Nicnet in a phased manner and the process is expected to be completed by June 2001.

`President not withholding files on appointments'

Later talking to The Hindu, the Minister denied that the President was withholding the files relating to the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court and the Madras High Court. Asked what was the reason for the inordinate delay after the names had been sent to the President, he said regarding Supreme Court appointments (to fill three of the four vacancies) ``I made personal enquiries and I understand that the file had reached the President only two days ago''. And regarding the Madras High Court, the names were with the President.

He denied that the President was insisting on the inclusion of the name of Mr. K.G. Balakrishnan, Chief Justice of the Madras High Court for elevation to the Supreme Court. He said ``the President is not one who does things just like that. He takes his own time in doing things but certainly as far as I know he is not sitting over the files.''

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