‘Lapping up Rajya Sabha Nomination For…’ Kapil Sibal Slams Ex-CJI Ranjan Gogoi

Justice Gogoi, who was the 46th CJI, was last night nominated as a member of the Rajya Sabha by President Ram Nath Kovind.

New Delhi: Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Tuesday attacked former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi over his nomination to the Rajya Sabha by President Ram Nath Kovind, accusing him of having compromised his own integrity as well as that of the Supreme Court.

Justice Gogoi, who retired last November, was the 46th CJI and the first from the northeast. He was succeeded by the incumbent CJI SA Bobde.

Today, Sibal tweeted: “Justice Hans Raj Khanna is remembered for his integrity, standing up to the government and upholding the rule of law.”

Justice Khanna, notably, is remembered for being the lone dissenting judge in a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court, which, in 1976 agreed with the India Gandhi government’s view and submission in the apex court that even the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution stood abrogated during a national emergency.

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Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had imposed emergency on June 25, 1975, which was lifted on March 21, 1977.

“Ranjan Gogoi will be remembered for lapping up a Rajya Sabha nomination for being saved by the government, standing in line with it and compromising his own and the integrity of the institution,” Sibal added.

Justice H R Khanna remembered for :

1) his integrity
2)standing up to govt.
3) upholding rule of law

Ranjan 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

Justice Gogoi, whose nomination to the Upper House has triggered a huge row, had given several major judgements, chief among which was the Ayodhya land verdict case. A bench led by him had also held that there was no scam in the Rafale fighter jet deal.

This, however, will not be the first case of an ex-CJI being a member of the Rajya Sabha. Rangnath Mishra, the 21st CJI, was a member of the Upper House from 1998-2004. He, however, joined as Congress MP, and, that too, seven years after his retirement.