Two of the four senior-most Supreme Court judges who virtually revolted against CJI Dipak Misra over "selective" case allocation and certain judicial orders, today said that “there is no Constitutional crisis”.
The two judges -- Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Ranjan Gogoi, also rejected suggestions that the four of them had violated discipline by addressing the media.
"There will be no Constitutional crisis and there are only problems in procedures and that will be corrected," Justice Kurian told mediapersons.
"There is no crisis," Justice Gogoi told PTI on the sidelines of a programme in Kolkata.
Justice Joseph also expressed confidence that the issues raised by them would be resolved and that they “acted solely in the interest of judiciary and justice”.
"Stood up for justice and judiciary.... That is what we said there (in New Delhi) yesterday. Nothing beyond that," Justice Joseph said while expressing hope that their actions will bring in more transparency in the administration of the Supreme Court.
Also Read: Acted in interest of judiciary, justice: Kurian Joseph
The four senior most judges of the Supreme Court -- justices J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, MB Lokur and Kurian Joseph -- had yesterday called a press conference in New Delhi and said the situation in the top court was "not in order" and many "less than desirable" things have taken place.
Unless this institution is preserved, "democracy will not survive in this country," they had said.
Justice Chelameswar, the second senior judge after the Chief Justice of India, had said "sometimes administration of the Supreme Court is not in order and many things which are less than desirable have happened in the last few months".
Also Read: There is no crisis, says Justice Ranjan Gogoi
Chelameswar said they had met CJI Dipak Misra in the morning and "raised issues affecting the institution". He also said that the four judges had written a letter to CJI Dipak Misra some time back, raising important issues.
Meanwhile, Attorney General KK Venugopal has expressed hope that the crisis in the top judiciary would be settled.
"Let's hope everything works out very well. I am sure everything will be settled," he told media persons.
Venugopal had met CJI Dipak Misra on Friday after the press conference by four Supreme Court judges. He had told media that the unprecedented move by the judges in holding a press conference "could have been avoided" and the judges would now have to act in "statesmanship" to ensure complete harmony.
Also Read: 7-member BCI delegation to meet four judges, CJI
Later in the evening. the Bar Council of India (BCI) held a meeting to discuss the crisis cropped up following the media briefing of four senior-most Supreme Court judges.
Manan Kumar Mishra, Chairman of Bar Council of India, said that a seven-member delegation barring the five senior-most judges, will be set up to discuss the present crisis. The delegation will meet all the four judges and CJI Dipak Misra.
“We want the matter be solved at the earliest,” Mishra said.
“BCI forms seven-member team to meet all SC judges barring the five senior-most judges to discuss present crisis,” Misra said and also expressed displeasure at the politicians jumping into the matter.
