The Quint Explains the Significance of SC Judges’ Press Conference

What triggered four serving SC judges to publicly voice their concerns over the administration of the top court?

Supreme Court judges hold a press meet

(Photo: PTI)

What triggered four serving Supreme Court judges to publicly voice their concerns over the administration of the apex judicial body? Was it aimed at Chief Justice of India Dipal Misra? Is there infighting in the Supreme Court? The Quint explains the significance of the press conference called by the SC judges.

On Friday, 12 January, in the first-of-its kind press conference in Independent India, four sitting Supreme Court judges publicly voiced their complaints against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra.

“Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra has left us with no option but to go public about what is going on within the collegium,” the four senior judges of the apex court said. They alleged that that the “administration of the SC is not in order.”

Justice Chelameswar, whose residence the press conference was held, along with Justices Ranjan Gogoi, Madan Lokur and Kurian Joseph, said:

Judicial independence is key to the survival of democracy. I don’t want some wise men to say that Justices Chelameswar, Lokur and Joseph sold their souls and did not take care of the institution. We just wanted to communicate this to the nation.

The judges said they tried to persuade the Chief Justice of India to improve the situation, but their efforts went in vain.

Letter Released

Justice Chelameswar released a letter that was addressed to Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra. The letter alleged “preferential treatment” was being given to benches in cases that concern the nation at large. It said that the appointment of certain benches to hear certain cases does not seem to be accurate.

The letter also alleged that Chief Justices have been appointing benches of their own choosing without any specific reasoning. The letter also said that other judges of the Supreme Court have been “doing things without facing consequences and which weren’t within their responsibility”.

The judges indirectly alleged that certain Supreme Court judges were taking actions that they weren’t authorised to do.

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Also read: Congress Likely to Discuss SC Judges’ Allegations at Press Meet