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a case review of BR KAPUR V. STATE OF TAMIL NADU
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CASE REVIEW
B.R. Kapur v. State of Tamil Nadu
{2001(7) SCC 231}
Guided by:- Kartikeya Sir
Presented byPraveen Roll – 882041BBA LLB ( 3rd semester )
JUDGES IN THE BENCH
Justice S. P. BHARUCHAJustice G. B. PATTANAIKJustice Y. S. SABHARWALJustice RUMA PALJustice BRIJESH KUMAR
Praveen Kls
BRIEF FACTS
Elections to the Legislative Assembly in the State of Tamil Nadu was held in 2001. AIADMK secured a landslide majority and consequently chose their leader J. Jayalalitha as the Chief Ministerial candidate.
Jayalalitha, however, had been denied permission to contest the elections.
The Election Commission rejected her nomination papers on account of her disqualification under the provisions of the Representation of People’s Act, 1951.
Her convictions were under appeal and the High Court, on an application, suspended the sentence of imprisonment, ordering her release on bail.
Elected as the leader of the majority party in the State Assembly and now out on bail, the Governor appointed Jayalalitha as the Chief Minister.
Praveen Kls
MAJOR ISSUES OF
THE CASEPraveen Kls
1st ISSUE
Whether a person who is disqualified to be a member of the state
legislature can be appointed as the Chief Minister under article
164(4)?Praveen Kls
ARGUMENTSLEGAL PROVISIONS
THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA Article 164(4)Article 163(1)Article 173Article 191
Also about “constitutional morality”
Section 389 of the Code of Criminal Procedure
Jayalalitha had been convicted under
Section 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (PCA) Section 409 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)
Praveen Kls
Convictions under these provisions brought Jayalalitha under the purview of the Representation of People’s Act, 1951(RPA) which provides inter alia for the conduct of elections to the State Legislatures, the qualifications and disqualifications for membership.
In particular, section 8(3) of the Act disqualifies any person “convicted of any offence and sentenced to imprisonment for not less than two years.” from the date of such conviction to a further period of six years since his/her release.
CONT.
Praveen Kls
“A person who is convicted for a criminal offence and is sentenced to imprisonment for a period of not less than 2 years cannot be appointed as the Chief Minister of a state under Article 164(1) read with (4) and cannot continue to function as such. Hence the appointment of Jayalalitha as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu was not legal and valid and that she cannot continue to function as the same.”
THE COURT HELD THAT …
Praveen Kls
2nd ISSUE
Whether the appointment of Chief
Minister by the Governor is judicially
reviewable?Praveen Kls
The immunity provided to the Governor under article 361 is certainly not extended to an appointee by the Governor. In the present case, when an application for issuance of a writ of quo warranto is being examined , it is not the Governor who is being made amenable to answer the court; it is the respondent appointee, who is duty-bound to satisfy that there has been no illegal usurpation of public office.
ARGUMENTS
Praveen Kls
“In the present case the Governor need not be
made answerable to the court.”
THE COURT HELD THAT …
Praveen Kls
3rd ISSUE
Whether the legal sequitur of the invalidation of the Chief
minister’s appointment would be that all acts, decisions,
transactions and appointments done by the chief minister would without any legal
efficiency be and null and void?Praveen Kls
ARGUMENTS
Jayalalitha could not have continued to have functioned as Chief Minister and such serious situation would have created a administrative chaos in the state as it would mean that the legal sequitur of the invalidation of the Chief minister’s appointment would be that all acts, decisions, transactions and appointments done by the chief minister would without any legal efficiency be and null and void.
Praveen Kls
THE COURT HELD THAT …
“All acts, decisions, transactions and appointments otherwise legal and valid performed during the acting of Jayalalitha or any of the Council of Ministers or by the government shall not be adversely affected.”Praveen Kls
CONCLUSION
The Supreme Court in this decision has declared with a view to promote the highest democratic values in the country that a popular mandate cannot override the Constitution. The Court has observed –
“the Constitution prevails over the will of the people as expressed
through the majority party and the will prevails only if it is in accordance
with the provisions of the Constitution”.
Praveen Kls
Praveen Kls