Ranjan Gogoi’s tenure as CJI started with a whimper, ended with a bang | The Indian Express

Ranjan Gogoi’s tenure as CJI started with a whimper, ended with a bang | The Indian Express

Written by Rekha Sharma |Updated: November 20, 2019 9:28:09 am

The writer is a former judge of the Delhi High Court

Ranjan Gogoi’s tenure as CJI started with a whimper, ended with a bang

The fact is, by the time Justice Misra demitted office, the image of the Supreme Court had taken a hit. Therefore, when Justice Gogoi stepped into his shoes, there was an air of expectancy. Unfortunately, Justice Gogoi courted more controversies than his predecessor.

Ranjan Gogoi, the 46th Chief Justice of India, has retired. (Express Photo: Abhinav Saha)

Ranjan Gogoi, the 46th Chief Justice of India, has retired. Now is the time to assess his legacy. The tenure of his predecessor, Justice Dipak Misra, was marred by controversies which reached such proportions that a leading political party attempted to impeach him. Justice Gogoi was one of the four judges of the Supreme Court who held an unprecedented press conference against Justice Misra, accusing him of putting democracy in peril. The fact is, by the time Justice Misra demitted office, the image of the Supreme Court had taken a hit. Therefore, when Justice Gogoi stepped into his shoes, there was an air of expectancy. Unfortunately, Justice Gogoi courted more controversies than his predecessor.