In a media interview, he justified his low attendance and said that pandemic is the reason for his low attendance.
New Delhi: Former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, in his recently released autobiography- Justice for the Judge, defended his decision to join Rajya Sabha four months after retiring from the Supreme Court, a move that had come in for widespread criticism. In a media interview, he stated that ‘he is an independent member,’ on his Rajya Sabha Attendance.
He said that when he was offered the position, he accepted it without any hesitation since he wanted to raise issues pertaining to the judiciary and the North East region, to which he belongs. But the attendance records of the parliament have shown that he has attendance less than ten percent, in Rajya Sabha since he became a member.
In a media interview, he justified his low attendance and said that pandemic is the reason for his low attendance.
“You ignore the fact that for one or two sessions, I have submitted a letter to the house saying that because of Covid, on medical advice I am not attending the session”, he said.
“I go to the Rajya Sabha whenever I feel like it … when I think there are matters of importance on which I should speak,” Justice Gogoi went on to say.
“I am a nominated member. I am not governed by any party whip. Whenever the bell rings for party members to come, that doesn’t bind me. I go there at my choice, I come out at my choice. I am an independent member of the house.”
The former Judge was nominated to the upper house by the President of India, at the advice of the Centre, effectively making him a government nominee.
Further, the former Chief Justice explained that he is still cautious about attending parliament because “social distancing norms were not observed,” as well as they should.”
“Before the winter session, you could enter the Rajya Sabha only after an RT-PCR test. I didn’t feel very comfortable going there. And the pandemic is on and even today, I don’t feel very comfortable going to the Rajya Sabha. Though social distancing norms have been enforced, they are not being observed. The sitting arrangement… I don’t find it very comfortable,” he said.
Justice Gogoi was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in March 2020.
As an independent media platform, we do not take advertisements from governments and corporate houses. It is you, our readers, who have supported us on our journey to do honest and unbiased journalism. Please contribute, so that we can continue to do the same in future.
