Amid controversy over former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi being nominated to the Rajya Sabha, a PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the nomination.
The public interest litigation (PIL) was filed on Wednesday by Madhu Kishwar, a professor at the Indian Council of Social Science Research on Wednesday.
A day before Justice Gogoi taking oath as Rajya Sabha member, Kishwar filed a 20-page PIL in independent capacity and it was not filed through any advocate.
Also read: Former CJI Ranjan Gogoi to speak about Rajya Sabha nomination after taking oath
“Just filed PIL in SC challenging nomination of ex-CJI Ranjan Gogoi as Rajya Sabha member. Still to recover from shock that Modi govt committed such blunder…” Kishwar later tweeted.
Kishwar claims in her petition that Gogoi’s nomination to Rajya Sabha by the President of India seems like a political appointment.
Also read: Ranjan Gogoi’s nomination to Rajya Sabha: BJP govt pays off “ex-CJI’s debt’’!
“Gogoi in his tenure has passed some historic and landmark judgements. An appointment like this would cast a shadow of doubt on the credibility of the judgments delivered under his headship at the Supreme Court,” she said in her PIL.
Kishwar, in her PIL, also highlighted the statement made by Gogoi during his tenure when he had said, “post retirement appointment is itself a scar on judicial independence of the judiciary”.
“This statement makes it all the more befuddling since the Supreme Court judges are expected to work without fear or favour and remain above political divides or affiliation,” said the petitioner.
She also sought a stay on the notification and appointment of Gogoi as a Rajya Sabha member.