UK SC verdict shows leeway for executive to subvert convention is limited: Tharoor

The UK Supreme Court ruling as "unlawful" Prime Minister Boris Johnson's suspension of parliament is significant for those who live in other parliamentary systems inspired by the British model as it makes it clear that the leeway for the political executive to subvert convention is limited, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said on Tuesday.

Britain's Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled in a historic verdict that Johnson's decision to suspend parliament in the run-up to Brexit was "unlawful".

"The significance of today's UK Supreme Court judgement for those of us who live in other parliamentary systems inspired by the British model should not be missed. The judgement makes clear that the leeway for the political executive to subvert convention is limited," Tharoor said in a tweet.

The executive cannot simply distort the rules of procedure and conduct of business under the garb of parliament's privilege as a sovereign body to do as it wants, the former Union minister said.

The court's reasoning is that the executive's legislative majority cannot be used to obstruct parliament's work, he said.

"To put it bluntly, the executive, in the name of its Parliamentary majority, cannot use Parliament's own powers and privileges to undermine itself. In short, Parliament cannot be induced by its own majority to commit suicide. Note: UK precedents are often cited by Indian courts," he said.

Johnson suspended, or prorogued, parliament for five weeks earlier this month, saying it was to allow for a Queen's Speech to outline policies of his new government.