Latest news with #Dhankhar
New Indian Express
an hour ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Minding the high walls that surround high offices
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar's resignation was a kind of cold play. He left for home on Monday evening in control of his keys, but could not enter his office the next day. They must have sent his personal stuff home, but he may not have had access to all his papers. One doesn't know if Dhankhar kept a diary and made notes after chairing Rajya Sabha sessions. One wonders if he recorded his spats with all their provocation and rancour, and after meeting colleagues and dignitaries, bending his tall figure to make hushed conversations. He is a trained lawyer, but one is not sure if he was so clinically organised like Richard Nixon in these matters. If he did keep a diary and had kept it in his office, it may have suddenly become State property. Dhankhar was left with no time to secure anything, least of all his legacy. There was such swiftness in the operation that the dismissal was instantly made to wear the cloak of voluntary exit. Although as per the book he could not be sacked by the government, it appears a threat of impeachment was enough to secure his signature on a rather politically-correct draft where everybody was thanked and a health contingency was invoked. Dhankhar was domineering, confrontational and articulate, qualities that did not sit well in either his earlier role as West Bengal governor or as vice president. Both by the Constitution and convention, they are conceived as elderly, mentoring roles. They are not meant to hold the steering wheel of government, but are thought of as permanent standby roles in the event of a constitutional crisis. They do not put a final seal on anything, only step in temporarily. However, their placement in ceremony and protocol tends to create a grand delusion that they are important. It appears Dhankhar had bought into this delusion. While he should have enjoyed being sandwiched between the President and the Prime Minister as VP, he attempted to create a distinct grandeur for his chair, often with vanity. While his role allowed him to philosophise at times, he hectored all the time.
Indian Express
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Motion to remove Justice Varma to begin in Lok Sabha; ‘No doubts remain,' says govt
The notice for removal of Justice Yashwant Varma is likely to be taken up in the Lok Sabha, with that 'received' by former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar in the Rajya Sabha unlikely to be considered. The announcement by Dhankhar, as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, that he had 'received' a notice for the removal of Justice Varma from 63 Opposition MPs is believed to have triggered the series of events leading to his resignation as VP. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said: 'All the political parties have agreed that the removal of Justice Yashwant Verma has to be a joint call. Now there should be no issue with regard to which House it has to be moved. Once we have agreed that it will be moved in the Lok Sabha… it will be concurred in the Rajya Sabha as per rule… So we should not remain under any doubt that the discussion and the motion, everything, will begin in the Lok Sabha, and the Rajya Sabha, as per rule, will give concurrence and there will be a thorough discussion in the Rajya Sabha also.' This was decided by consensus among all parties, Rijiju emphasised. 'The agreement amongst all parties is that the motion for removal of Justice Varma will begin in the Lok Sabha. It will be taken up in the Lok Sabha and then subsequently it will be concurred by the Rajya Sabha. That is the agreement of all the parties.' While presiding over the Rajya Sabha Monday, hours before he resigned, Dhankhar said he had 'received a notice of motion' from the Opposition for constituting a statutory committee for removal of Justice Varma. He added: 'I direct the Secretary General to find out whether a similar motion has been moved in the House of People, the Lok Sabha… This is being done for the purpose that under the Judges Inquiry Act, 1968, the procedure (in such a case) is different.' Under the Act, if a notice to remove a judge is presented in both the Houses of Parliament on the same day, then the committee for inquiry is to be constituted jointly by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. Since Dhankhar's resignation, the post of Chairman is vacant. Having made its intent clear to act on impeaching Justice Varma – over the alleged recovery of a stack of notes from his home – the government, which had initiated its notice in the Lok Sabha, was taken by surprise by Dhankhar's move. The government notice, signed by 145 MPs, including Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, had been handed over to the Lok Sabha Speaker earlier in the day. Dhankhar's move meant the Opposition could steal the government limelight on an issue of crucial import, dealing with judicial accountability. Sources told The Indian Express that officials in the Secretariats of the two Houses are now verifying whether remarks made by Dhankhar as Rajya Sabha Chair on the Opposition notice were 'legally valid'. That rests on determining whether Dhankhar's statement meant that the notice had only been 'received' by the Chair, or 'accepted' by the Chair. As per one line of opinion, Dhankhar's remarks do not amount to 'admission' of the Opposition notice as they 'didn't follow the formalities'. If the notice in the Rajya Sabha is determined to be only 'received' by the House and not yet 'accepted', the motion in the Lok Sabha will be considered to be at play. Former Lok Sabha Secretary General P D T Achary said a mere announcement by Dhankhar didn't mean much, as there is nothing in the process for removal of a judge concerning that. 'When a presiding officer receives a notice, he or she has to make a preliminary examination into the notice, look into the evidence annexed by them and decide the admissibility. They can reject or accept it. In the issue of this notice, the Chairman (Dhankhar) does not seem to have done any of these,' Achary said, adding that 'there is no requirement regarding reading it (the notice) in the House'. Sources said the government is also apprehensive about legal issues if Dhankhar's remarks are considered as 'acceptance' of the notice to remove Justice Varma, as this would entail setting up a joint committee by the Lok Sabha Speaker and Rajya Sabha Chairman to probe the charges against him. Since the office of the Vice President is currently vacant, the presiding officer of the Rajya Sabha is Deputy Chairman Harivansh. Whether Harivansh can take the place of the Chairman in constituting the committee is uncertain legal territory. The constitutional provisions regarding the removal of a judge mention specifically the 'Chairman of the Rajya Sabha' and not the 'Vice President'. But, sources said, the government does not want any room for a legal challenge, delaying the impeachment process against Justice Varma. But, if the notice is considered as accepted only in the Lok Sabha, then it is up to Speaker Om Birla to appoint the three-member inquiry committee, in consultation with the Chief Justice of India. The committee is required to have one member who is either the CJI or a judge of the Supreme Court; a member from among the Chief Justices or judges of high courts; and a distinguished jurist. One reason the government believes it is on solid ground in not considering the Rajya Sabha notice is that there are doubts whether it was 'complete' or 'valid', since it did not have any annexures or supporting material attached to make a case for impeaching Justice Varma. The motion reportedly only cites then Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna's communication to the President and Prime Minister calling for impeachment of Justice Varma, along with the findings of the Supreme Court's in-house inquiry report. Sources point out that the Presidential secretariat had communicated with the Lok Sabha Speaker regarding this inquiry report, and not the Rajya Sabha. However, Achary said the law itself does not require attached annexures to accept a notice.
India.com
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Did you know ex-Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar helped Salman Khan in getting bail in Balckbuck case, read the story here
In an astonishing event, Jagdeep Dhankhar, who served as Vice President of India, resigned from his position citing health reasons. Before becoming one of the finest politicians in India, Jagdeep was a senior advocate and a constitutional expert. You will be amazed to know that Jagdeep once shared a special connection with Bollywood actor Salman Khan. Scroll down to read more about it. As the headline suggests, Dhankhar once helped Salman secure bail in the infamous blackbuck case. For the unversed, Jagdeep Dhankhar was the counsel for Bollywood actor Salman Khan and the other accused in the 1998 blackbuck poaching case. When Did Salman Khan's Blackbuck Case Happen? In October 1998, during the filming of Hum Saath Saath Hain in Kankani village near Jodhpur, Rajasthan, two blackbucks, which are considered sacred to the Bishnoi clan, were allegedly hunted by the actor. Blackbucks are an endangered species protected under India's Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. How Did Jagdeep Dhankhar Help Salman Khan in the Blackbuck Case? Back in 1998, Jagdeep Dhankhar was part of the legal team defending Salman Khan and his co-stars Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Neelam, and Sonali Bendre. Advocate Praveen Balwada, who was Dhankhar's assistant at the time, spoke to India Today and said, 'Dhankhar was the first lawyer to argue the case for Salman Khan when Jodhpur Police arrested him in 1998, and he secured bail for him and the other accused.' He further added, 'That was the only period when Dhankhar represented Salman Khan in the blackbuck case and wasn't engaged in the case at the subsequent stages.' Jagdeep Dhankhar Accepted Helping Salman Khan In a conversation with Rediff On The Net, Dhankhar acknowledged and opened up about his role in the case. When questioned directly about whether the actors had gone hunting during the shoot, he refrained from giving a clear answer. Instead, Dhankhar raised questions about the credibility of the investigation at the time. 'There were 300 people on the sets. How come none knew when the incident occurred?' according to the Rediff report. Following Salman Khan's arrest, Dhankhar also defended the actor's behavior. 'I pleaded before the judge stating that Salman had fully cooperated with the police after his arrest and therefore there is every reason to grant him bail,' Dhankhar said, according to the report. In court, he questioned the accuracy of the villagers' statements and the timeline they provided. 'When the villagers say the actors were involved in the killing, why did they not chase them right then rather than lodging a complaint after three weeks?' he argued.
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
How Jagdeep Dhankhar helped Salman Khan get out of jail in Blackbuck case
Jagdeep Dhankhar, who recently resigned as Vice President of India citing health reasons, is back in the spotlight. But before making waves in the political arena, Dhankhar was an accomplished advocate. One of his notable achievements from his legal career is now making headlines once again. The Legal Case That Made Headlines Long before his rise to the country's second-highest constitutional office, Dhankhar was a seasoned lawyer. In 2018, he played a pivotal role in helping Salman Khan secure bail in the 1998 blackbuck poaching case—a case that continues to attract national attention. The incident took place near Kankani village in Jodhpur during the shooting of Hum Saath Saath Hain. At that time, two blackbucks were allegdly killed. The animals are a protected species under India's Wildlife Protection Act . While co-stars Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Neelam, and Sonali Bendre were acquitted, Salman Khan was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison by a Jodhpur trial court on April 5, 2018. Dhankhar's Key Role in Khan's Bail Salman Khan's legal team, led by Dev Anand Gehlot, brought in Dhankhar for his legal expertise to handle the bail proceedings. His strategic legal intervention proved crucial. On April 7, 2018—just two days after Khan's conviction—District and Sessions Judge Ravindra Kumar Joshi granted bail. Khan had spent two nights in Jodhpur Central Jail. The bail was approved on a personal bond of ?50,000, along with two sureties of ?25,000 each. Conditions included a travel restriction: Khan could not leave the country without court permission and had to appear in court on May 7, 2018. A Turning Point in Dhankhar's Career Dhankhar's involvement in the high-profile case highlighted his legal prowess. It was one of the prominent moments in his legal career, reinforcing his public image and laying the groundwork for his eventual transition into politics. He went on to serve as Governor of West Bengal and later became Vice President of India in 2022.
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
Turkish Tanks Enter Syria
News • 3 days ago Jagdeep Dhankhar has suddenly resigned as Vice President, effective immediately, citing health concerns – two years before his term was set to end. This shocking move, coming right after the Monsoon Session began, has sparked intense speculation. Was it truly health-related, or was there more to his abrupt exit? Known for his outspoken views and frequent clashes with the judiciary and opposition, Dhankhar's tenure was tumultuous. From questioning Supreme Court rulings to allowing a motion for Justice Yashwant Varma's removal (after wads of cash were found at his home), his actions often stirred controversy. Now, the focus shifts to who will be the next Vice President of India. Names like Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh Singh are in the running, but social media is abuzz with other possibilities, from Nitish Kumar to Shashi Tharoor. The Constitution mandates that the vacancy must be filled "as soon as possible."
