New CJI takes oath, freezes ‘ urgent mentions’
Gogoi: Fresh parameters soon, no urgent mention unless someone is to be ‘ hanged’
New Delhi, Oct. 3: Justice Ranjan Gogoi was sworn in as the 46th Chief Justice of India on Wednesday, after which he did some plain- speaking over the “urgent mention” of cases in the Supreme Court for hearing, saying this will be disallowed till certain parameters are fixed unless someone is set to be “hanged or evicted”.
Justice Gogoi, 63, becomes the first person from the Northeast to reach the top position in the judiciary and will have a tenure of a little over 13 months. He will retire on November 17, 2019. President Ram Nath Kovind administered the oath to Justice Gogoi at a brief ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan’s historic Durbar Hall. He took the oath in English in the name of God. He succeeds Justice Dipak Misra, who retired Tuesday on turning 65.
Several leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his predecessor Manmohan Singh and former PM H. D. Deve Gowda were present at the ceremony. “I congratulate Justice Ranjan Gogoiji on taking the oath as the Chief Justice of India. His experience, wisdom, insight and legal knowledge will benefit the country greatly. My best wishes for a fruitful tenure,” Mr Modi tweeted. Justice Misra had earlier in September recommended Justice Gogoi as his successor in accordance with the established practice of naming the seniormost judge after the CJI for the post. Speculation over Justice Gogoi’s appointment as the next CJI arose after the court’s four most
◗ Justice Gogoi, 63, becomes the first person from the Northeast to reach the top position in the judiciary
senior judges, including Justice Gogoi, called a press conference on January 11 and criticised Justice Misra on various issues, especially the manner of allocation of cases to certain benches.
Justices J. Chelameswar ( since retired), Madan B. Lokur and Kurian Joseph were the others who addressed the press conference, perhaps a first in the history of the Indian judiciary.
After the swearing- in ceremony, Justice Gogoi came to the Supreme Court and presided over the bench along with Justices S. K. Kaul and K. M. Joseph in Court No. 1, which is the CJI’s courtroom. The new CJI began the day by telling lawyers that “fresh parameters” will be worked out for mentioning matters for hearing those cases which required hearing on a priority and urgent basis. Justice Gogoi said “no urgent mention of cases will be allowed” till certain parameters are fixed for it.
“We will work out the parameters then we will see as to how mentioning will be done,” he said. “If somebody is going to be hanged or evicted tomorrow, then we can understand ( urgency)”, the CJI added.
Born on November 18, 1954, Justice Gogoi, who belongs to Dibrugarh in Assam, enrolled as an advocate in 1978. He practised in the Gauhati high court on constitutional, taxation and company matters. He was appointed a permanent judge of the Gauhati high court on February 28, 2001.
On September 9, 2010, he was transferred to the Punjab and Haryana high court. The following year, on February 12, 2011, he was appointed Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana high court and then a judge of the Supreme Court on April 23, 2012.
The Supreme Court website showed the roster of work for fresh cases notified under the order of the CJI and with effect from October 3 till further orders.
The CJI has decided to keep with himself PILs and all petitions based on the letter. The bench headed by him will also deal with the matters relating to social justice, elections, company law, MRTP, Sebi, RBI and Trai- related cases. He has also kept with himself matters regarding arbitration, habeas corpus, criminal cases, contempt of court and ordinary civil matters.
His bench will also deal with the issues relating to the appointment of constitutional functionaries, statutory appointments and appointment of other law officers.
Justice Gogoi has also allocated the PIL and letter- based matters to the bench headed by Justice Lokur, whose bench will also be seized with matters of land acquisition and requisition and service. Justice Lokur is now the seniormost judge after the CJI.
Personal law matters, religious charitable endowments and issues of mines, minerals and mining leases would be allocated to the bench headed by Justice Lokur, which will also take up the matters of land laws and agriculture tenancies, consumer protection and issues relating to the armed forces and the paramilitary.
Justice Kurian Joseph, who is third in seniority will have matters relating to labour, rent, service, family and criminal cases. The bench headed by Justice Joseph will also share with the bench of the CJI the matters relating to contempt of court.