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The United Progressive Alliance government on Thursday described the verdict in the P.J. Thomas case as a judicial review of an executive order. Union Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily termed as “baseless,” the suggestions that it was a “slap in the face of the government.”
Executive orders, Mr. Moily said, are often challenged before the apex court and the government takes corrective measures.
“It is guidance for the future...The government will work on a new process for future appointments.”
“No illegality”
Asked whether the Prime Minister should apologise to the nation, Mr. Moily said, “No illegality has been done by the Prime Minister. He has been very clear…there are some set [of] procedures; the procedures may have been questioned and we will rectify them.”
Meanwhile, party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the government had “bowed” before the verdict and stressed it was wrong on the Opposition's part to politicise a legal ruling, based on legal principles that were binding on the government.
Asked whether the Prime Minister or Home Minister P. Chidambaram, both members of the high power committee, along with Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj, that had selected Mr. Thomas as CVC should resign, he said, “Absolutely not.”
Just because the government had demonstrated its “fallibility,” he said, motives could not be imputed to it. The matter had been set right by the apex court which had held the appointment to be illegal, but that did not, in his view, make it immoral.
Executive orders, Mr. Moily said, are often challenged before the apex court and the government takes corrective measures.
“It is guidance for the future...The government will work on a new process for future appointments.”
“No illegality”
Asked whether the Prime Minister should apologise to the nation, Mr. Moily said, “No illegality has been done by the Prime Minister. He has been very clear…there are some set [of] procedures; the procedures may have been questioned and we will rectify them.”
Meanwhile, party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the government had “bowed” before the verdict and stressed it was wrong on the Opposition's part to politicise a legal ruling, based on legal principles that were binding on the government.
Asked whether the Prime Minister or Home Minister P. Chidambaram, both members of the high power committee, along with Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj, that had selected Mr. Thomas as CVC should resign, he said, “Absolutely not.”
Just because the government had demonstrated its “fallibility,” he said, motives could not be imputed to it. The matter had been set right by the apex court which had held the appointment to be illegal, but that did not, in his view, make it immoral.