'Mere Right To Change Ruler No Guarantee Against Tyranny': Chief Justice

Chief Justice NV Ramana underscored that "criticisms and voicing of protests is integral to the democratic process" and any law backed by a sovereign must be tempered by tenets of justice.

Elections every few years to change the ruler need not be a guarantee against tyranny of those elected, Chief Justice of India NV Ramana said at a function in New Delhi on Wednesday. The CJI underscored that "criticisms and voicing of protests is integral to the democratic process" and any law backed by a sovereign must be tempered by tenets of justice. "It has always been well recognized that the mere right to change the ruler, once every few years, by itself need not be a guarantee against tyranny," said the CJI delivering the Justice PD Desai Memorial Lecture on "Rule of law" online. The CJI said the idea that people are the ultimate sovereign is found in notions of human dignity and autonomy and a reasoned public discourse is vital to a working democracy. "A public discourse, that is both reasoned and reasonable, is to be seen as an inherent aspect of human dignity and hence essential to a properly functioning democracy.