Save country from transforming into Presidential system: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee to judiciary

West Bengal Chief Minister (CM) Mamata Banerjee on Sunday urged judiciary to protect democracy in the country and save it from being transformed into a presidential form of governance. .The CM said that the judiciary must listen to the voices of people, and ensure that the federal and democratic structures in the country are preserved."Judiciary must save the people from the disaster, injustice, and hear cry of people. Now people are crying behind doors ... I will request all the judiciary people and future leaders that please see federal structure remains ... Democratic power [is] being seized by one section of people, country will then head to presidential form, [and] then where is democracy? Please save it," Banerjee said.She was speaking at the convocation ceremony of the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences. .The CM also heaped her praise on incumbent Chief Justice of India (CJI) UU Lalit for 'restoring people's faith' in the judiciary during his short tenure at the helm of the Supreme Court."I must congratulate present Chief Justice [of India] Lalit ji, only two months he has got .. so far as my knowledge is concerned, he is retiring on 8th [November]. But these two months we have seen what is called judiciary, people have their faith restored," she stated.Banerjee, however, clarified that she did not mean that people had lost faith in judiciary, but said that the situation was going from bad to worse..Banerjee was also critical of medial trial before verdicts."Before (court) giving the verdict, media trial goes on, which guides the judiciary. This cannot be, sir ... They give their opinion, anybody they can accuse or abuse," she lamented.The CM emphasised that the country has the highest respect for the judiciary and law and the judiciary should always serve justice for the people.She also urged more people to enter the legal profession, given the existing vacancies in judiciary..Earlier this year, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot had fired a salvo at the Central government, demanding how judges can be expected to function without fear or favour when they are attacked for their observations and judgments.