Even as the second round of talks between Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and his four senior-most colleagues did not take place on Wednesday, “each of the four judges” — Justices Jasti Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B. Lokur and Kurian Joseph — is “speaking” to other Supreme Court judges on the issues raised by them in public on January 12.
Another meeting is likely on Thursday.
The four judges are talking to their colleagues even as some judges felt that the four should have “taken them into confidence” before going public.
A source close to the four judges, however, explained that they would “never have been able to act” if they had tried to take all the judges into confidence.
The source said the judges may have “naturally different ideas” about the issues but they “understand the problem.”
In fact, the four judges first wanted to take the decisive step in order to place themselves in a position to reach out to the other judges about the issues. One of the issues raised in a letter, circulated at the January 12 meeting, says: “There have been instances where cases having far-reaching consequences for the nation and the institution had been assigned by the Chief Justices of this Court selectively to the Benches of their preference without any rational basis.”
The four judges stand firm that they will not “agree for a statement that the problem is resolved until something concrete is done, which they can place before their colleagues to show that they have done something good.”
The source said the decision to go to the press was not taken “casually,” but after much deliberation. “Whether the thought process behind calling a press meet is wrong or not is a matter of opinion,” the source close to the four judges said.
The Chief Justice took the initiative on January 16 to meet his four colleagues and break the ice. The meeting also coincided with an order passed by a Bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Mohan M. Shantanagoudar to put up two PIL petitions seeking a probe into the death of CBI judge B.H. Loya before an “appropriate Bench.”
Chief Justice Misra and the four judges met over tea, during which they exchanged mutual concern over the “judicial institution.”
The second meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, could not take place as Justice Chelameswar was taken ill and took a leave of absence.
When Chief Justice Misra and judges gathered for their weekly lunch on Wednesday, the day of the week when one among the judges would bring traditional home-cooked food from his or her native State, Justices S.A. Bobde, A.K. Goel and Chelameswar were missing due to ill-health. Justice Gogoi visited Justice Chelameswar at his residence in the evening to enquire about his health.
Besides, Justice Gogoi, Justices U.U. Lalit and D.Y. Chandrachud also called on Justice Chelameswar.
