Reacting to the nomination of former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi as a member of the Rajya Sabha, Supreme Court judge Justice Kurian Joseph said that Justice Gogoi ‘compromised the noble principles’ of the independence and impartiality of the judiciary.

‘According to me, the acceptance of nomination as a member of Rajya Sabha by a former CJI has certainly shaken the confidence of the common man on the independence of the judiciary, which is also one of the basic structures of the Constitution of India,’ India Today quoted the former as saying.

Justice Joseph had once taken part in an unprecedented presser along with Gogoi, Justices J Chelameswar, Madan B Lokur (all retired) on January 12, 2018, on the Apex Court’s functioning.

He expressed his surprise as to how Justice Gogoi accepted the Rajya Sabha nomination while recalling the statement he had made in the presser.

Justice Joseph said Gogoi on January 12, 2018, had said that they have discharged their debt to the nation along with the other three judges.

‘I am surprised as to how Justice Ranjan Gogoi who once exhibited such courage of conviction to uphold the independence of the judiciary, has compromised the noble principles on the independence and impartiality of the Judiciary,’ he added.

Justice Joseph, referring to the press conference, said that he, along with the other three judges, had come out in public in an ‘unprecedented move’, to tell the nation that there was a threat to the judiciary. ‘Now I feel the threat is at large,’ Justice Joseph said.

He said that he has decided not to take up any posts after retirement, to ensure that there is no threat to the country.

Former CJI Gogoi was on Monday, March 16, nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the government. He is known for heading benches that pronounced various important judgments, including in the Ayodhya land dispute case.

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