Justice Ranjan Gogoi’s 11-month term as the Chief Justice of India will end of November 17, 2019. Ranjan Gogoi took over Justice Deepak Mishra for the top post on 3 October 2018. Gogoi will be replaced by Sharad Arvind Bobde for the apex court’s post.
Here are few recent landmark judgements made under a panel of judges which included Mr Gogoi.
Verdict delivered in Ayodhya case
The seven-decade-old Ayodhya land dispute was finally put to rest after a long limbo in the Supreme Court. When Justice Ranjan Gogoi took charge as the CJI, he prioritised putting an end to one of the longest-running land dispute cases in India.
During the course of the hearings, the case formation of a panel of mediators headed by former Justice Fakkir Mohamed Ibrahim Kalifulla, spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, and Senior Advocate Sriram Panchu.
When the mediators failed to settle the issue, the court began day-to-day-hearings on the case from August 6. During the course of these hearings, Justice Gogoi kept reminding the counsels to conclude their arguments as soon as possible.
His efforts of conducting the hearing in fast pace resulted in a judgement on November 9. The Supreme Court finally delivered the judgement in the case bringing the curtains down on a highly emotive issue.
Sabarimala Case – passed to larger bench
The Supreme Court earlier this week kept the final decision on the Sabarimala review and writ petitions under temporary suspension till a larger bench of seven judges settles the exact role of the court in deciding whether a particular practice is essential or integral to a religion.
“The subject review petitions, as well as the writ petitions, may, accordingly, remain pending until determination of the questions indicated by a larger bench as may be constituted by the Chief Justice of India”, said a majority bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi.
Rafale Deal fiasco
The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected requests to review its clean chit to the government in the Rafale fighter jet deal with French firm Dassault Aviation, saying there was no need for a “roving inquiry” into the case.
“We don’t feel it necessary to order an FIR (First Information Report) or a roving inquiry into the Rafale deal case,” a bench comprising outgoing Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, Justices SK Kaul and KM Joseph said while dismissing the petitions. “We find the review petitions are without any merit,” the Supreme Court said.
CJI under RTI
Declaring that “transparency doesn’t undermine judicial independence”, the Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi rejected the contention of the Supreme Court that had challenged a Delhi High Court judgment bringing it under the ambit of the RTI Act.
