India must protect the integrity of its constitutional institutions from external and political interference, Supreme Court judge Justice PS Narasimha said at an event organised by the National Law School of India University in Bengaluru.

Supreme Court judge PS Narasimha on Sunday said India must protect the integrity of its constitutional institutions from external and political interference. Justice Narasimha was addressing the Justice ES Venkataramiah Memorial Lecture organised by the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in Bengaluru.

Justice Venkataramiah was the 19th Chief Justice of India. Prior to this, he was a judge of the Karnataka High Court and the Advocate General of Mysore. According to the Supreme Court Observer, he was part of benches that delivered 720 judgments. Of these, he wrote 256 judgments during his tenure in the Supreme Court.

Need to maintain the integrity of institutions

In his address, Justice Narasimha said that the integrity of institutions can be maintained only by applying safeguards in the process of appointment, decision-making and removal of those who lead these institutions. He also said that the theme of the memorial lecture, Reimagining Integrity, Efficiency and Accountability of Constitutional Institutions, is relevant as Justice Venkataramiah belonged to a generation of judicial professionals who played an active role in developing and sustaining the institutions.

Justice Narasimha discussed in detail the role of fourth branch institutions like the Election Commission, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), the Union and State Public Service Commissions and the National Commissions for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.

Appreciating the vision of the Constitution makers

Citing the example of the Election Commission, the Justice said that today we take it for granted that there is a separate body outside the executive to conduct elections to Parliament and State Assemblies. However, it is also important to understand that before its institutionalisation, it was possible to conduct elections through the executive branch as well. He appreciated the foresight of the Constitution makers of India who chose to institutionalise the monitoring, direction and control of elections through a body outside the executive.