Constitution facing challenges from autonomous institutions, including judiciary, says former Supreme Court Judge

Why in news

Former Supreme Court Judge B. Sudershan Reddy expressed concerns regarding the erosion of Constitutional norms by autonomous institutions, specifically citing judicial overreach and the conduct of Governors.

Background

Justice (Retd.) B. Sudershan Reddy highlighted the Tamil Nadu High Court's verdict on the Subramaniya Swamy temple lamp lighting as a case of potential judicial overreach. He also noted the lack of a mechanism to impeach Governors for misconduct and the potential misuse of Election Commission powers during Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Facts for Prelims

• PostB. Sudershan Reddy: Former Judge of the Supreme Court of India
• FactSpecial Intensive Revision (SIR): A process for updating electoral rolls
• BodyElection Commission of India: Body responsible for electoral roll revisions

For Mains

Q. Examine the constitutional challenges posed by the lack of accountability mechanisms for autonomous institutions and the role of the Governor in the federal structure.

Dimensions to cover in your answer

• Institutional friction: Absence of a constitutional mechanism to impeach Governors for misconduct
• Judicial overreach: Conflict between judicial activism and the preservation of established Constitutional norms
• Electoral integrity: Risks of power misuse during Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls

Keywords: Judicial Overreach · Constitutionalism · Federal Friction · Institutional Accountability · Checks and Balances

More Polity & Constitution notes

• Madras High Court to use AI to retrieve information from voluminous documents · 31 January 2026
• 50 years ago, on this day, for the first time a Government was dismissed in Tamil Nadu · 30 January 2026
• Allow free access through Somanahalli toll plaza for residents’ vehicles: Karnataka HC directs NHAI · 30 January 2026
• SIR in Gujarat: 6.88 lakh seek inclusion, 9.88 lakh deletion in electoral rolls · 29 January 2026
• Advocates representing the Association for Democratic Reforms challenged the constitutionality of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar · 29 January 2026
• Tamil Nadu SIR: Election Commission directed by SC to display voter discrepancies · 29 January 2026

All Polity & Constitution current affairs →

Something wrong, or something missing?

Spotted a mistake in a note, or want a topic, format or PDF that would help your preparation? Write to us. We read every mail and fix errors fast.

Report a mistake →Ask for something →[email protected]