Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today said cases related to developmental projects should not linger on in courts for decades and noted that while the judiciary is free to correct the executive for a wrong decision, policy-making should always be the government's domain.
Addressing the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit here, he said the executive and the judiciary "need not be in sync".
"If the executive commits a mistake, the judiciary must correct it. If the citizens are denied the rights, the judiciary needs to intervene," he said, but added that policy- making is the sole domain of the government.
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Responding to a question, Prasad said the "irreversible rise of India" should also ensure that at least larger issues of development do not get delayed in courts.
"If a dam is to be built, say yes or no quickly. If rehabilitation has to be done, give directions. No compliance, issue a contempt. But if a dam has to be built or not built has to continue for 10, 20 years, how much cost escalates... those are the issues to be considered," he said.
The minister said a dam is "okay or not okay is an executive function."
"You need hydro power, clean power or not -- that is an executive process. It is a very complicated question (for) which the government need to consider all the details...
"I acknowledge that if oustees have a right to compensation of rehabilitation, the court is entitled to monitor that," he said.
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