Archive · 11 Jan 2026
Ex-Judge Urges Judiciary to Resist Executive Overreach
A former judge, Justice Muralidhar, gave a speech about how the Indian judiciary has been strong in the past against the legislature but has not been as confident in standing up to the executive branch.
He talked about how the judiciary has sometimes helped in changing governments in states like Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
He also mentioned that governors in some states are not giving their approval to bills passed by the state legislatures, which he thinks is a problem.
He believes the judiciary should be strong and independent to protect the Constitution's principles of diversity and inclusion.
The speech was part of the annual Sarat Bose Lecture, hosted by the grandsons of Sarat Bose, a freedom fighter.
Justice Muralidhar criticized the judiciary for not standing up to the executive as strongly as it has to the legislature.
He mentioned the judiciary's role in regime changes in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
Muralidhar highlighted the governors' reluctance to assent to bills in Opposition-ruled states as a threat to federalism.
He argued that the judiciary's role in overturning laws passed by the legislature is a crucial part of the Constitution.
The lecture was hosted by historian Sugata Bose and political scientist Sumantra Bose, grandsons of Sarat Bose.
- Who
- Justice (Dr) S. Muralidhar (retired), former judge of Delhi and Orissa High Courts
- What
- Criticism of the judiciary's role in resisting executive overreach and its involvement in political regime changes
- When
- Delivered on Saturday at the annual Sarat Bose Lecture
- Where
- Netaji Bhawan
- Why
- To discuss the judiciary's role in maintaining independence and federalism
- Speaker
- Justice (Dr) S. Muralidhar (retired)
- Event
- Sarat Bose Lecture at Netaji Bhawan
- Key Cases Mentioned
- Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973)
- States Discussed
- Karnataka (2019), Madhya Pradesh (2020), Maharashtra (2022)
- Judicial Concerns
- Reluctance of governors to assent to bills, judicial role in regime changes
- Constitutional Principle
- Judiciary's role in protecting diversity and plurality