Matter Is Now Resolved: Says Bar Council Chaiman On The Press Con Held By 4 Supreme Court Judges

The Bar Council of India (BCI) today said that the crisis in the Supreme Court has been resolved after its members met 15 judges of the apex court.

It was an internal issue and has now been resolved: Manan Mishra, Chairman, Bar Council of India #SupremeCourtJudges pic.twitter.com/EjiSz2d8HJ

— ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2018

The four senior-most judges of the top court who held a press conference on Friday, January 12, raised an issue of assignment of cases, attended court today and carried on their routine work.

“All courts are functioning. We are thankful to the 4 judges and the CJI that they resolved the matter on their own,” says Manan Mishra, chairman of the BCI, reported Hindustan Times.

To a question whether any action should be taken against them for criticising the chief justice of India, BCI chairman said there is no need for any action and they are all honest and men of integrity.

Yesterday, CJI Dipak Misra met a seven-member delegation of the BCI and the Supreme Court Bar Association President Vikas Singh to sort out the crisis.

Background

In an unprecedented move, four sitting judges in the Supreme Court on Friday, January 12, addressed the media. The judges addressing the press included Justice J Chelameswar, Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justice Madan B Lokur and Justice Kurien Joseph who are senior most judges of the country, just below Chief Justice of India in the hierarchy. On being enquired repeatedly, Justice Gogoi had told the media that the press conference was prompted on the issue of appointment of judges in the case of death of special CBI Judge B.H. Loya.

The main topic of discussion during the press conference was about the issue of judicial appointments. This move seemed like a protest against the recommendations of collegium regarding the judicial appointments, ignoring senior judges of the court. The press conference was the first of its kind, and it was done at the residence of Justice Chelameswar, reports The Indian Express.

“We met CJI with a specific request which unfortunately couldn’t convince him that we were right; therefore, we were left with no choice except to communicate it to the nation that please take care of the institution,” Justice Chelameswar said.

Justice Chelameswar described it as an extraordinary event in the history of Indian judiciary. “Sometimes, the administration of the Supreme Court is not in order. There are many things less than desirable that have happened in the last few months… As senior-most justices of the court, we have a responsibility to the nation and institution. Four of us are convinced, the democracy will not survive. We met CJI this morning, with a specific request but we could not convince him. We had no choice but to communicate to the nation to take care of the institution. We place it before people of the country,” Justice Gogoi said.

The judges had submitted a letter on the issue to CJI, which can be read below (Source: The Wire):