Need to fix system, not impeach CJI, says Chelameswar

HE ALSO SAID MOVES BY SOME PARTIES TO SEEK THE CJI’S IMPEACHMENT WERE NOT A SOLUTION

NEW DELHI: Justice Jasti Chelameswar of the Supreme Court said on Saturday that he hoped justice Ranjan Gogoi will not be overlooked for the post of chief justice of India (CJI) for taking part in an unprecedented press conference on January 12 where the four senior-most judges aired their differences with present CJI Dipak Misra over his handling of sensitive cases.

The second senior-most SC judge also said moves by some opposition parties to seek the impeachment of Misra were not a solution and called for debate on a restructuring of the country’s top court. He also ruled out seeking government employment after he retires on June 22.

“I am not an astrologer who can predict if Justice Gogoi will be ignored for the post of the next chief Justice of India. I hope this will not happen,” Chelameswar said at an event on ‘The role of Democracy’ organised by the Harvard Club of India here.

“But if it happens, it will prove that the problems that were pointed out in the January 12 press conference were correct.”

The outgoing CJI recommends the name of his successor. Chelameswar was responding to a question whether Justice Gogoi’s chances of being made the next CJI would be scuttled for being a part of the press conference that focused on lapses in the Supreme court’s functioning. Apart from justices Chelameswar and Gogoi, judges MB Lokur and Kurian Joseph raised several issues, including allocation of cases, by CJI Misra.

He said the CJI undoubtedly had the power to constitute benches to hear different cases as the mater of the roster. “But this power has to be exercised for achieving some public good,” he added.