The Supreme Court has dismissed a plea challenging the appointment of Justice Ranjan Gogoi as the next Chief Justice of India today. According to the reports, a petition had been filed in the Supreme Court by an advocated named RP Luthra seeking to quash the appointment of Justice Gogoi with effect from October 3.
A bench comprising of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice AM Khanwaliker and Justice DY Chandrachud dismissed the petition by saying that there is no merit in the case and said that this is not the stage to interfere with the appointment. “We are of the view that it is not the stage to interfere (with the appointment),” a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said.
In their plea, Luthra along with petitioner advocate Satyaveer Sharma had said they were seeking adjudication of the question of law for which they are relying on the contents of the press conference of January 12, called by the four senior judges Justices Chelameswar (since retd), Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B Lokur and Kurian Joseph of the apex court.
According to Times of India, the plea said the petitioners were also relying on an undated letter addressed to Chief Justice of India and circulated by the four apex court judges. The plea said that the recent actions by the four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court were no less than a sabotage of the judicial system of the country. “They tried to arouse public furore in the country in the names of certain internal differences in this court,” the plea said.
The petition said that the act of Union of India and the Supreme Court ‘is illegal and unconstitutional’ and also against the canons of law because of the appointment the highest post of the judiciary is being awarded to a person who is guilty of committing judicial impropriety and judicial misconduct. This statements in the plea were a reference to the recent press conference held by the four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court, which had created a furore in the country.
The President appointed Justice Gogoi as the 46th Chief Justice of India on September 3. He will take oath on October 3 after incumbent Chief Justice Dipak Misra retires. Justice Gogoi would have a tenure as Chief Justice of India of about 13 months till his retirement on November 17, 2019.
