President Kovind on Monday nominated former CJI Ranjan Gogoi to RS, triggering allegations from the opposition who claimed that it was a ‘quid pro quo’.
New Delhi| In addition to the disappointment of senior members of the legal community, opposition leaders also have spoken out against former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi being nominated to the Rajya Sabha.
Gogoi was nominated to the Upper House by President Ram Nath Kovind, on the recommendation of the Narendra Modi government.
Former Union minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Yashwant Sinha said he hoped Gogoi would reject the nomination.
I hope ex-cji Ranjan Gogoi would have the good sense to say 'NO' to the offer of Rajya Sabha seat to him. Otherwise he will cause incalculable damage to the reputation of the judiciary.
— Yashwant Sinha (@YashwantSinha) March 16, 2020
CPI (M) head Sitaram Yechury recalled how Gogoi himself had criticised post-retirement gigs for judges in the past. “What must one make of a govt that does this, after appointing another ex-Chief Justice as the governor of a state?” he asked.
Shri Ranjan Gogoi had himself said last year that "There’s a strong viewpoint that post-retirement appointments is a scar on independence of Judiciary". What must one make of a govt that does this, after appointing another ex-Chief Justice as the governor of a state? #Chronology
— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) March 16, 2020
Several Congress leaders said the move proved that the judiciary is not, in fact, independent. National spokesperson and lawyer Jaiveer Shergill called it a “sad day”.
Also Read: Woman and her family were harassed because she refused CJI’s sexual advances
Appointment of Ex-CJI Gogoi to Rajya Sabha is a bad precedent, #attacks theory of “separation of powers” b/w executive,legislature & judiciary enshrined in the Constitution & sinister design to blatantly hijack independence of judiciary-Sad day for Justice System & Democracy!
— Jaiveer Shergill (@JaiveerShergill) March 16, 2020
Lawyer and Congress leader Kapil Sibal questioned the legacy Gogoi is leaving behind.
Justice H R Khanna remembered for :
1) his integrity
2)standing up to govt.
3) upholding rule of lawRanjan Gogoi for
lapping up a Rajya Sabha nomination for
1) being saved by govt.
2) standing in line with it
3) compromising his own and the integrity of the institution— Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) March 17, 2020
All India Majlis-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi wondered whether this was quid pro quo – something that has been asked several times since last night, given that Gogoi headed benches in key cases that the same government which has nominated him had important political stakes in.
Is it “quid pro quo”?
How will people have faith in the Independence of Judges ? Many Questions pic.twitter.com/IQkAx4ofSf— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) March 16, 2020
Ranjan Gogoi held the post of CJI from October 3 2018, to November 17, 2019.
He led several historic decisions during his tenure including key judgments in highly-sensitive disputes like the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi Babri Masjid title dispute case, the ‘Entry of women to Sabarimala Temple’ row, and the Rafale deal controversy, and the Assam NRC dispute — to name a few.
CJI Gogoi’s latest milestone was that on November 9, the five-judge Bench headed by him delivered the verdict in the much-debated Ayodhya dispute case.
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.
