Appointment of Justice Gogoi as next CJI challenged in Supreme Court

New Delhi, Sep 26: The appointment of Justice Ranjan Gogoi as the next Chief Justice of India has been challenged in the Supreme Court. The petitioner advocates, R P Luthra and Satyaveer Sharma have relied on the contents of a press conference called by the top four judges including Justice Gogoi earlier this year.

The petitioners claimed that the four judges of the Supreme Court tried to arouse public furore in the country in the name of certain internal differences in the court. "This act of the four senior-most judges of the court was not less than a sabotage to the judicial system of the country," the petitioners stated.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India, Dipak Misra asked the petitioner to file the mentoring memo before the court master. The matter would be heard today.

The petitioners sought the adjudication of the question of law for which they are relying on the contents of the press conference of January 12.

The petitioners are aggrieved of the actions and omissions on the part of respondent 1 (Union of India) and respondent 2 (Chief Justice of India), which has resulted into appointment of respondent 3 (Justice Ranjan Gogoi) as the Chief Justice of India instead of reprimanding him for his illegal and anti-institutional act, the petition stated.

The petition said that act of Respondent 1 and Respondent 2 "is illegal and unconstitutional and also against the canons of law because the appointment on highest post of judiciary has been awarded to a person who is guilty of committing judicial impropriety and judicial misconduct".

The plea sought to quash the order of appointment of Justice Ranjan Gogoi as the CJI with effect from October 3. On September 3, the President had appointed Justice Gogoi as the 46th CJI. He is set to take oath on October 3.