The Constitution Conundrum: Guardian of Rights or Tool of Power?
The Constitution Conundrum: Guardian of Rights or Tool of Power? The sanctity of law can be maintained only so long as it is the expression of the will of the people. No constitution can interpret or enforce itself; it must be interpreted by men. And if the ultimate power to interpret a constitution is given to the government’s own Supreme Court, then the inevitable tendency is for the Court to continue to place its imprimatur on ever-broader powers for its own government. Imagine a game where one team writes the rulebook and then gets to decide what those rules mean during play. That’s what happens when a government’s own Supreme Court interprets the constitution—a document meant to limit its power. No constitution can interpret or enforce itself; it relies on people, and when those people are part of the government, they tend to bend it in favor of more power for themselves. This is why the Indian people must face a harsh truth: mere paper cannot protect their freedom. Th...