Attorney General KK Venugopal on Monday strongly objected on CJI’s methods to deal with cases. According to him, Justice Gogoi is hastily doing away with the cases without hearing out the arguments.
In a hearing of a case on Monday involving AG Venugopal, Justice Gogoi was predisposed to quash it. However, miffed AG Venugopal sternly argued with Justice Gogoi forcing him to reverse his decision.
Venugopal was arguing in behalf of Rajasthan government. The case was about payment of interest in case of delay in depositing entry tax by a company.
AG Venugopal argued, “My clients have come from far away parts of the country but Your Lordships don’t even hear their arguments and dismiss cases saying you have read it. This is not the way, at least at the admission stage they should be heard.”
Heeding to AG’s outburst, CJI Gogoi reversed his decision and acceded to hear the matter after pending cases were dealt with. CJI Gogoi said, “Alright Mr. Venugopal. We take your statement in the right spirit. You may now argue.”
After Justice Gogoi assumed the charge of the apex court, he has been steadfast in his approach to decline mentioning and reject the dilatory tactics of adjournments. However, this alacrity wasn’t displayed in the hearing of the Ram Janam Bhoomi case whose verdict was moved to January 2019. In fact, the SC, yesterday, declined early hearing of pleas in Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case. One wonders why his approach is not applied indiscriminately in all cases.
Ironically, Justice Gogoi has also stated that he has devised a plan to deal with the pendency of the cases.
