Barely hours after the new Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice Ranjan Gogoi assumed office on Wednesday after being sworn in by President Ram Nath Kovind, it became apparent that change was afoot.
On the first day itself, Justice Gogoi made it clear that PILs questioning every decision and activity of the government will not be entertained. On this ground, he refused advocate Prashant Bhushan to have a PIL listed urgently for stay on Thursday's planned deportation of seven Rohingya Muslims. Laying down parameters, the CJI said that only in cases where a person is to be "hanged or evicted", will an urgent mentioning be allowed.
Next, a PIL by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay was dismissed. It demanded curtailing of time for filing account of election expenses. The bench of CJI Gogoi, Justices SK Kaul and KM Joseph said, "Courts cannot monitor everything in the country".
Sensing the attitude of the bench, many lawyers who came to mention important cases beat a hasty retreat. Meanwhile, when one lawyer Mathew Nedumpara hailed him as the "captain of judiciary", the CJI said there was no room for such congratulatory messages in court and got down to his judicial work. Within minutes, the packed courtroom wore a deserted look.
Later in the day, the new CJI as the 'master of roster' released the Roster of Allocation of Business for Supreme Court Judges.
In the evening, CJI Gogoi gave his maiden speech at a felicitation function organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA). SCBA President Vikas Singh set the tone by telling the CJI that by ending mentioning, lawyers are pained. In reply, the CJI said, "There is a charge against me that I am strict. I am what I am. I cannot change." He then revealed his mind that a system will soon be in place by which a case will automatically get listed after getting filed. "With this, mentioning will die its own death," CJI added. Further, if a list shows a case in advance, it will not be dropped, the CJI assured.
Justice Gogoi also promised to tackle pendency head on by filling 5,000 judicial vacancies at the subordinate court level within the next four months.
Attorney General KK Venugopal then hinted that judges need more salaries and tenure, but the CJI said that the right man for the post will not come forward until the aura and dignity of the post is maintained. Money and tenure will not be the solution, Justice Gogoi said.
THE GOGOI CLAN LEGACY
Ranjan Gogoi, the new Chief Justice of India, hails from an illustrious background. His father is Keshab Chandra Gogoi, who served as the Chief Minister of Assam in 1982. An honest politician, with two sons — Ranjan and Anjan — he told his sons that with limited means, he could only send one to the Sainik School in Goalpara. So, a coin was tossed in the air. Anjan won the toss and after finishing his education there, joined the Indian Air Force. He retired as Air Marshal Anjan Gogoi. Ranjan, meanwhile, studied law and went on to become the Chief Justice of India.
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