“WE HAVE DISCHARGED our debt to the nation,” declared four senior judges of the Supreme Court on January 12, 2018. Ranjan Gogoi was among this rebellious four who held an unprecedented press conference to air their grievances against the manner in which Dipak Misra, then chief justice of India, was managing the apex court. They said they were forced to speak out because the independence of the judiciary was under threat.
The media had asked the foursome if they were aggrieved at the allocation of the case related to Justice B.H. Loya’s death to a particular bench. Three of the judges remained tightlipped. It was Gogoi who confirmed it was so. He came across as the boldest of the four judges, as he was next in line to become CJI.
Ironically, Gogoi is now at the centre of a controversy over the Narendra Modi government’s decision to nominate him to the Rajya Sabha. The move has been widely described as an assault on the independence of the judiciary. Critics point out that Gogoi, as CJI and master of the roster till last November, was allocating cases that were crucial to the government. He also adjudicated on matters that had deep political significance.
The brother judges who were with him at the historic press conference expressed disappointment at Gogoi’s decision to enter the Rajya Sabha. Justice (retd) Kurian Joseph said he was surprised at how Gogoi, “who once exhibited such courage of conviction to uphold the independence of the judiciary, has compromised the noble principles of the independence and impartiality of the judiciary”.
This story is from the March 29, 2020 edition of THE WEEK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the March 29, 2020 edition of THE WEEK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Trump And The Crisis Of Liberalism
Although Donald Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term to the US presidency is not unprecedented—Grover Cleveland had done it in 1893—it is nevertheless a watershed moment.
What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?
IT IS ASKED, year after year, why Delhi’s air remains unbreathable despite several interventions to reduce pollution.
Men eye the woman's purse
A couple of months ago, I chanced upon a young 20-something man at my gym walking out with a women’s sling bag.
When trees hold hands
A filmmaker explores the human-nature connect through the living root bridges
Ms Gee & Gen Z
The vibrant Anuja Chauhan and her daughter Nayantara on the generational gap in romance writing
Vikram Seth-a suitable man
Our golden boy of literature was the star attraction at the recent Shillong Literary Festival in mysterious Meghalaya.
Superman bites the dust
When my granddaughter Kim was about three, I often took her to play in a nearby park.
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
Meet G. Govinda Menon, the 102-year-old engineer who had a key role in surveying the Vizhinjam coast in the 1940s, assessing its potential for an international port
Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets
THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET has delivered a strong 11 per cent CAGR over the past decade, with positive returns for eight straight years.
Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay
AFTER A ROARING bull market over the past year, equity markets in the recent months have gone into a correction mode as FIIs go on a selling spree. Volatility has risen and investment returns are hurt.
