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Supreme Court Bar Association Meet on Four Judges’ Revolt Against CJI

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Amid the upheaval caused by four of the senior most Supreme Court judges questioning the conduct of the Chief Justice of India, the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) will meet on Saturday, January 13 evening to discuss the issue.

There were indications that the SCBA was of the view that the judges were wrong in going to the media and should have discussed and sorted out the issue internally.

In a move without a precedent, four senior most judges of the top court held a press conference on Friday, January 12, saying they decided upon this course after collective attempts to persuade the CJI to take remedial measures failed. The current situation, they added, was hampering the integrity of the judiciary.

“The four of us are convinced that unless this institution is preserved and it maintains its equanimity, democracy will not survive in this country,” Justice J Chelameswar said on the lawns of his residence.

Justice Chelameswar, who was speaking on behalf of the other judges, also released a letter written by them to the CJI two months ago. The letter has attacked the theory of “CJI being the master of the roster” cited by the CJI while deciding benches, saying he was only the ‘first among equals – nothing more, nothing less’ and raised a flag against the way the court has dealt with finalising the new memorandum of procedures, guidelines that guard the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court and High Courts.

They said there have been instances where “cases with far-reaching consequences for the nation and institution” has been assigned by the Chief Justice “selectively to the benches of their preferences without any rational basis for such assignments.”

The judges addressing the media were Justice J Chelameswar, Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justice Madan B Lokur and Justice Kurien Joseph.

SCBA president, senior advocate Vikas Singh termed the press conference of the four Supreme Court judges as ‘ill planned’ and added that the allegations made by them were not substantial.

“If they had to come for a press conference, then they should have said something substantial. Just creating doubts in the minds of people will not serve the interest of the judiciary. I think this was not properly planned,” SCBA president Vikas Singh told ANI.

He further opined, “If at all they had anything substantial to say, they should have thought it over first rather than just suggesting something and leaving it to the minds of the people to keep guessing. All of the wild guesses will go all over the country and all kinds of things will be said about the Supreme Court.”

According to a News 18 report, he said that the “press meet has only led to speculation” and “that the letter (from the judges to the CJI) had nothing to reveal.”

“This has led to imagination of the country running wild. The institution derives its respect for the credibility it has garnered over these years. If the credibility goes, who will respect the institution? The press conference has only led to speculation,” he added.

Singh also criticised the stand taken by the judges stating that the judgment which has been cited in the letter to highlight the delay in finalising Memorandum of Procedure was “already withdrawn by the CJI”.

“The letter has absolutely nothing. The letter speaks about the RP Luthra matter which was dealt by Justice Goel and Justice UU Lalit. I don’t think that order was wrong which had only said that if the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) was approved then why it is not being decided. That delay in finalising the MoP is harming the judiciary,” he said.

“But even that order was re-called by the CJI along with Justice AK Sikri and Justice Amitava Roy. It’s incomprehensible as to why Luthra verdict was cited in the letter. I do not understand how such senior judges could have committed such a mistake to have actually not checked facts? That order was withdrawn by the CJI,” said Singh.

On the master of roster issue, he said, “The master of the roster theory has also been accepted by the four judges. It is not as if something new has been done by CJI Mishra. But the way CJI has been forming those benches leaves a lot to be desired. But that does not justify what the four judges did. Even if the CJI was doing it wrong, he would still be the master of the roster. Still you have to give him the primacy.”

About reports that if the four judges’ protest was related to the case of CBI Judge Loya’s death, to which Justice Gogoi replied in the affirmative, albeit hesitantly, Singh said that Justice Loya wasn’t mentioned by either of them, “They haven’t said anything about Justice Loya either in the letter or the press conference. I don’t know how this justice Loya issue is coming up for discussion in this matter at all.”

Meanwhile, reports from Kerala said Justice Kurian Joseph, one of the four senior Supreme Court judges, on Saturday expressed confidence that the the issues raised by them would be resolved.

Joseph said that they acted solely in the interest of judiciary and justice, rejecting suggestions that they had violated discipline. He expressed the hope that their actions will bring in more transparency in the administration of the Supreme Court, reported The Times of India (TOI).

“Stood up for justice and judiciary…. That is what we said there (in New Delhi) yesterday. Nothing beyond that,” Justice Joseph said in Malayalam when local television news channels approached him at his ancestral home in Kalady near here seeking his reaction on yesterday’s development.

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JMM-RJD-Congress are supporters of Bangladesh infiltrators: PM Modi at Jharkhand rally

Narendra Modi further claimed that if the bad policies of JMM, Congress and RJD continue, the adivasi society in Jharkhand will shrink

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JMM-RJD-Congress are supporters of Bangladesh infiltrators: PM Modi at Jharkhand rally

Ahead of the Jharkhand Assembly election, PM Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the incumbent Hemant Soren government, accusing it to put appeasement at the top of its agenda.

While addressing a rally in Jharkhand’s Garhwa, the Prime Minister said the coalition government of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Congress and RJD are supporters of Bangladesh infiltrators. He said that the JMM-RJD-Congress government has taken appeasement to its peak, and that these parties are destroying the state’s social harmony. He alleged that the parties are supporters of infiltrators, and to get votes of Bangladesh infiltrators, they are getting them settled across Jharkhand.

The Prime Minister stated that when schools disallow Saraswati Vandana, one can imagine how big the danger is. When there is stone-pelting during festivals, Maa Durga is stopped and curfew is imposed, one knows how dangerous it is, he continued. The Prime Minister also added that when the issue of infiltration goes to court and the administration denies, it becomes clear that the government machinery has been infiltrated. PM Modi was referring to allegations that a Muslim teacher stopped prayers to Goddess Saraswati at a school in Jharkhand’s Giridih.

Narendra Modi further claimed that if the bad policies of JMM, Congress and RJD continue, the adivasi society in Jharkhand will shrink, and advised people to use their vote to uproot this infiltrator coalition. He maintained that Jharkhand’s swift development is possible only if it has a government that expedites the implementation of central schemes.

Referring to the JMM’s decision to replace Champai Soren as Chief Minister after Hemant Soren was granted bail in a money laundering case, PM Modi said that the party has left no stones unturned in humiliating an adivasi son. He asked how the party will take care of the people of the state when nothing matters to them more than family. He added that he does not have a family, and the people are his family. He also mentioned that Champai Soren, once a trusted lieutenant of Hemant Soren, is now with the BJP.

Slamming the ruling coalition of corruption, he said that corruption hollows out the country like termites, and destroys the poor, Dalits, people from backward classes and tribals. He claimed that Jharkhand has seen for five years the corruption of the JMM-Congress-RJD government.

He also referred to the massive cash haul from the home of Congress’s former Rajya Sabha MP Dhiraj Sahu last year. Mentioning that mountains of cash are recovered from the home of Congress’s Rajya Sabha MP, he questioned if this money didn’t belong to Jharkhand.

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Ruckus in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly over resolution against Article 370 abrogation

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah addressing the session, said that the resolution has no importance and it is only for the cameras.

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Ruckus in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly over resolution against Article 370 abrogation

Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Monday witnessed chaos after People’s Democratic Party (PDP) MLA Waheed Para moved a resolution opposing the abrogation of Article 370 and called for restoring the union territory’s special status.

Waheed Para, the PDP MLA from the Pulwama Assembly seat, submitted the resolution to newly elected Speaker, Abdul Rahim Rather and requested for a discussion on the matter during the five-day session, despite not being a part of the agenda.

It was submitted that although the agenda of the House has been finalised, they believe that the authority as the Speaker allows the inclusion of the resolution, as it reflects the sentiment of the people at large. After the resolution was submitted, all 28 Jammu and Kashmir BJP MLAs stood up to oppose the move, leading to noisy scenes inside the Assembly.

As the members protested, BJP MLA Sham Lal Sharma demanded Para’s suspension for bringing the resolution in violation of Assembly rules. The agitation continued even after the Speaker repeatedly requested the protesting members to take their seats. He asserted the resolution has not come to him yet and when it does, he would examine it.

While the BJP members refused to call off their protest, National Conference MLAs slammed them for interrupting the proceedings of the House. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah addressing the session, said that the resolution has no importance and it is only for the cameras.

The Chief Minister added that how the House will reflect and discuss this matter will not be decided by any one member. If there was a purpose behind the resolution, then they would have discussed this with the government before, he continued.

Nonetheless, CM Abdullah also admitted that the people of Jammu and Kashmir do not approve of the decision taken on August 5, 2019, when Article 370 was abrogated. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha also said that his government will make all efforts for the restoration of full statehood. He mentioned that restoration of full statehood would be a reciprocation of the faith reposed by the people of Jammu and Kashmir in democratic institutions.

Meanwhile, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti expressed that she was proud of Waheed Para for submitting the resolution.

Notably, Article 370 was a provision in the Constitution that granted special autonomy to the region of Jammu and Kashmir. It also allowed the state to have its own constitution, flag, and autonomy over internal matters except defense, communications, and foreign affairs.

However, the Centre on August 5, 2019 revoked Article 370, effectively removing the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and reorganising it into two Union Territories namely, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

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20 killed after bus falls into gorge near Uttarakhand’s Pauri-Almora border, CM Dhami expresses grief

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has announced financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each for the families of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh each for the injured.

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20 killed after bus falls into gorge near Uttarakhand’s Pauri-Almora border, CM Dhami expresses grief

In a tragic incident, nearly 20 people were killed after a Garwal Motors Users bus fell into a 200-metre deep gorge near Uttarakhand’s Kupi in Ramnagar at Pauri-Almora border on Monday. The injured are being hurried to the hospital and a search operation is currently underway. At least 35 people were inside the bus when the accident occured.

The fatal accident was reported to authorities at around 9 am by passengers who had fallen from the bus during the accident. Police and teams from National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are at the accident site in Marchula’s Salt area. 

Speaking to the media, District Magistrate Alok Kumar Pandey said that the bus was going from Garhwal to Kumaon where the accident took place at Marchula in Almora. Sanjay Kumar, Salt Sub-District Magistrate stated that some of the passengers have been rescued and admitted to hospital. 

Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has announced financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each for the families of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh each for the injured. The Chief Minister also directed the Commissioner of the Kumaon division to carry out a magisterial inquiry into the incident. 

Taking to social media platform X, CM Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed grief, and said that a very sad news has been received about the casualties of passengers in the unfortunate bus accident that took place in Marchula of Almora district. He added that the district administration has been instructed to carry out relief and rescue operations swiftly. 

Furthermore, CM Dhami stated that the local administration and SDRF teams at the accident site are working rapidly to evacuate the injured and take them to the nearest health centre for treatment. He mentioned that instruction have also been given to airlift seriously injured passengers if required. 

In a tweet, the Prime Minister’s office also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF for the next of kin of each deceased in the mishap in Almora, adding that the injured would be given Rs 50,000.

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