Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar addresses the gathering at National Judicial Academy, in Bhopal on Friday. (ANI Photo)
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Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday wondered how the Chief Justice of India can participate in the selection of the CBI Director or any executive appointment.
Addressing a gathering at the National Judicial Academy in Bhopal, he said, “The line between judicial activism and overreach is thin, but the impact on democracy is thick… I say the line is thin, but this thin line is between democracy and despotism… To stir your minds, how can in a country like ours or in any democracy, by statutory prescription, Chief Justice of India participate in the selection of the CBI Director…Can there be any legal rationale for it?,” he said.
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“I can appreciate that the statutory prescription took shape because the Executive of the day has yielded to a judicial verdict. But time has come to revisit. This surely does not merge with democracy. How can we involve the CJI with any executive appointment?,” Dhankhar said.
The VP said that his observation is that “executive governance by judiciary is being frequently noticed and discussed nearly in all quarters”.
“For constitutional democracy to survive, institutions must learn to differ without disrupting, and dissent without destroying. Democracy thrives not on institutional isolation but in coordinated autonomy,” he said.
Dhankhar said “accountability is enforceable when executive roles are performed by an elected government. Governments are accountable to the legislature, and periodically accountable to the electorate. If executive governance is outsourced, enforceability of accountability will not be there,” he said, adding that “the high standards set by the Constituent Assembly are today compromised”.
“How can we allow, in the temples of democracy, disturbance and disruption? That means public representatives are not mindful of their constitutional ordinance. How can national interest be overtaken by partisan concerns? How can a confrontationalist stance—often of an irretrievable nature—show the exit door to consensus?,” he said.
Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy.
Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free.
Expertise and Reporting Beats
Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors:
National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres.
Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA).
Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking.
Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers.
Professional Background
Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017.
Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh.
Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs.
Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife.
Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance.
Digital & Professional Presence
Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express
Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More
