As four sitting judges of the Supreme Court took the unprecedented step of addressing a press conference airing their differences with the Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, Minister of State for Law P.P. Chaudhary said, “Our judiciary is reputed all over the world as independent and they will sort out the matter themselves.” As Justices J. Chelameshwar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan Lokur and Kurian Joseph addressed the press conference, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad carried on with his workday in his ministerial office and refused to respond to any queries.
Government sources told The Hindu that the issues highlighted by the judges were “an internal matter of the judiciary” and that it was “up to them [the judiciary] to sort out the matter.”
“There is a separation of powers between executive and judiciary, there can be no intervention, and it’s not proper,” said a senior government minister. Chief Justice of India, Dipak Mishra, however consulted with attorney general of India K K Venugopal. Sources said that Justice Mishra’s reported plan to also address the press was also dropped after a consultation with the attorney general.
The ruling party, BJP, too maintained a studied silence with its battery of spokesperson refusing to comment on the issue. The only BJP MP to speak was Dr Subramanian Swamy. “We can’t criticize them (the four judges), they are men of great integrity. We must respect them. PM must ensure that the four judges and CJI, in fact entire Supreme Court, come to one opinion and proceed further,” he said.
For the government, it’s clearly a wait and watch situation, with the opposition planning to go on the offensive on the issue. In an unprecedented situation like this, its seems to be playing it by the ear.
The BJP broke its silence after Congress president Rahul Gandhi held a presser to express concern over the issues raised by the judges.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said, “This is an internal matter of the Supreme Court, AG has given statement. No politics should be played. Surprised and pained that the Congress which has been rejected a number of times by the people in elections is trying to gain political mileage. It has exposed itself.”
Rebel BJP leader Yashwant Sinha said the press conference was “absolutely unprecedented”, and hoped that the truth about judge Loya’s death would come out.
