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Viewing cable 07NEWDELHI5319, DELHI DIARY, DECEMBER 10-14

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07NEWDELHI5319 2007-12-14 12:39 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy New Delhi
VZCZCXRO2016
OO RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHLH RUEHPW RUEHROV
DE RUEHNE #5319/01 3481239
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 141239Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9717
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUCNNSG/NUCLEAR SUPPLIERS GROUP COLLECTIVE
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0622
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEIDN/DNI WASHINGTON DC
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 5807
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 7443
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 005319 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SCA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM KJUS KPAL IS IN BT
SUBJECT: DELHI DIARY, DECEMBER 10-14 
 
1.  (U)  Below is a compilation of political highlights from 
Embassy New Delhi for December 10-14, 2007 that did not 
feature in our other reporting, including: 
 
--  Bhutan Election Commission Disqualifies Third Political 
Party. 
 
--  India Finally Offers Balanced Assessment of 
Israeli-Palestinian Affairs. 
 
--  Supreme Court Scolds Lower Court,s Judicial Activism 
 
 
 
Bhutan Election Commission Disqualifies Political Party 
------ 
 
2.  (U) On November 30, The Bhutan Election Commission (EC) 
disqualified the Bhutan People's United Party (BPUP), a 
newly-formed political party which was hoping to run against 
the People's Democratic Party and the Druk Pheunsum Tshogpa 
in the Bhutanese elections scheduled for early 2008.  The 
BPUP claims to be a political party representing the 
downtrodden, with 80 percent of its membership and a 
significant number of its candidates being high school 
dropouts.  This, however, violates EC rules which stipulate 
that candidates must hold at least a bachelor's degree.  In a 
press release the EC concluded that the BPUP lacked "credible 
leadersip of the caliber that is needed to run and manage 
the affairs of the nation." 
 
3.  (SBU) The BPUP appealed the decision of the EC asking for 
guidance and time to fix their mistakes.  BPUP President 
Sigay Dorji, a former member of the Royal Advisory Council, 
expressed optimism that the BPUP would be given the 
opportunity to develop into a credible political party.  If 
the BPUP is allowed to contest the election, there will be 
three registered political parties and Bhutan will have two 
phases of polling.  The first phase will be a vote on the 
three political parties to narrow the choices to two.  The 
final phase would be for the actual candidates.  Nicholas 
Rosselini, Resident Representative of UNDP, told Poloff of 
other rumors behind the disqualification.  Rosselini said he 
heard the EC was only trying to cut its costs of conducting 
the elections by reducing the number of political parties to 
two. 
 
4.  (SBU) Comment:  The irony is that Bhutan is a country 
where very few have higher education and very many are poor. 
The BPUP disqualification speaks little for representational 
democracy, although the EC could argue that the transition 
phase of Bhutan,s democratic experiment justifies special 
attention to the education credentials of the candidates. 
End Comment. 
 
 
 
India Finally Offers Balanced Assessment of 
Israeli-Palestinian Affairs 
------ 
 
5.  (SBU) In an official press release dated December 12, and 
a nice follow-on to the constructive comments from Kapil 
Sibal in Annapolis, External Affairs Minister Mukherjee gave 
a refreshingly balanced view of the situation in the Levant, 
offering policy views supportive of Quartet and USG 
initiatives.  He stated inter alia that the GOI "supports a 
negotiated solution resulting in a sovereign, independent, 
viable and united State of Palestine within secure and 
recognized borders living side by side and at peace with 
Israel as endorsed in the Roadmap and UNSC Resolutions 1397 
and 1515.  India has supported the Quartet Roadmap of 2003 
and the Arab Peace Initiative, resumption of dialogue on 
Israel-Lebanon and Israel Syria Tracks."  Mukhejee also noted 
that the Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamad 
would attend the International Donors Conference for 
Palestine in Paris December 17. 
 
NEW DELHI 00005319  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
 
 
Supreme Court Scolds Lower Courts, Judicial Activism 
------ 
 
6.  (U) India,s Supreme Court issued a harsh criticism of 
the nation,s courts this week, accusing regional benches of 
overstepping their purview through rulings which border on 
legislation.  The criticism was aimed at lower courts in 
general but the Delhi High Court was singled out.  The 
Supreme Court opinion cited specific Delhi High Court 
decisions -- those involving demolition of unauthorized 
construction, nursery admissions, automobile accidents and 
number of free beds in hospitals -- as examples of judicial 
encroachment on legislative and executive powers which 
threatens "the delicate balance of power enshrined in the 
Constitution."  The Supreme Court panel wrote, "We are 
repeatedly coming across (instances) where judges are 
unjustifiably trying to perform executive or legislative 
functions. In our opinion this is clearly unconstitutional." 
The justices went on to caution that a continuation of this 
trend could lead to interference from politicians who will 
attempt to rein in judicial power and threaten the 
independence of the judiciary. 
 
7.  (U) Comment: The Supreme Court,s edict led to judiciary 
confusion as some courts refused to hear public interest 
litigation cases until their jurisdiction was clearly 
delineated. The confusion subsided when the Chief Justice 
made it clear that the original criticism was non-binding. 
The Supreme Court,s cautionary observations are valid and 
relevant because Indian courts have become increasingly 
activist in response to political inaction and gridlock.  We 
should note, however, that in a nation where 
consensus-building and legislating are often slow and 
frustrating processes this judicial activism may be the only 
way to get anything done.  For instance, when legislators did 
not have the political will to take quick action on the 
capital,s rising air pollution levels, the Delhi High Court 
issued a ruling calling for the implementation of compress 
natural gas technology in all public transportation, which 
markedly improved air quality. 
WHITE