Court verdict against natural justice: VS

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan has said though the government had the highest regard for the judiciary, it could not but disagree with the Kerala High Courts order banning wayside meetings as it breached the principle of natural justice.

Mr. Achuthanandan told a news conference after the disruption of Assembly proceedings on Friday that the High Court had issued the order disregarding the principle that no one shall be punished unheard.

The court had not cared to hear the State government before issuing the ban order, which was difficult to implement in the given context in the State and which would have far-reaching consequences both within and outside Kerala. The Left parties had come out against the High Court verdict only on account of this, he said. Pointing out that fair comment was permissible in the case of court verdicts, the Chief Minister said there was only fair comment in the present instance as well.

If anything was stated beyond that was being examined by the High Court, it would be better to wait for its decision in the matter. In a democracy, the legislature, the executive and the judiciary had the responsibility to work together for the common welfare of the people. The government held the judiciary in the highest regard and hoped that the same attitude would be shown by the judiciary, he said.