Part of: Miscellaneous Indian Gk set 170

Who can remove the chief justice of Supreme Court?

Category: Miscellaneous Indian Gk

Hint: Consider the constitutional provisions regarding the removal of judges.

Correct Answer: C) [C] President on a resolution by parliament.

Exam Relevance: UPSC, SSC, State PSC

Difficulty: Moderate

Explanations:

The removal of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is a significant constitutional matter that involves a specific process outlined in the Indian Constitution. According to Article 124(4) of the Constitution, the Chief Justice of India can be removed from office only through a process of impeachment. This process requires a resolution passed by both houses of Parliament, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, with a special majority. The special majority means that the resolution must be passed by a majority of the total membership of the house and a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of the house present and voting.

Once the resolution is passed by both houses of Parliament, the President of India acts on this resolution to remove the Chief Justice. The President does not have the authority to remove the Chief Justice on their own discretion. The involvement of the President is a formality, as the President acts on the advice of the Council of Ministers, which is responsible to the Parliament. This ensures that the removal of the Chief Justice is a democratic process and not an arbitrary decision by the executive branch of the government.

The impeachment process is designed to protect the independence of the judiciary and to ensure that the Chief Justice can only be removed for serious misconduct or incapacity. The requirement of a special majority in both houses of Parliament ensures that the removal is not a result of a simple majority vote, but rather a consensus among a significant portion of the elected representatives of the people.

It is important to note that the Supreme Court judges themselves do not have the authority to remove the Chief Justice. The removal process is a constitutional safeguard that involves the legislative and executive branches of the government, ensuring a balance of power and the protection of judicial independence.

Option Analysis:
  • Option A: This option is incorrect because the Parliament alone cannot remove the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. A resolution by Parliament must be followed by the President's action.
  • Option B: This option is incorrect because the Supreme Court judges do not have the authority to remove the Chief Justice. The removal process involves a parliamentary resolution and the President's action.
  • Option C: This option is correct because the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court can be removed by the President on the basis of a resolution passed by both houses of Parliament.
  • Option D: This option is incorrect because the President cannot remove the Chief Justice on their own discretion. The removal requires a resolution by Parliament.

Mnemonic: PRES: President, Resolution, Supreme

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