All judges of the apex court assemble for a full-court meeting when a matter of public importance relating to the judiciary comes up. It is called by the CJI.
New Delhi: Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra is yet to respond to the formal requests made by four senior Supreme Court judges to hold a full-court meeting to resolve their grievances, including alleged executive interference.
All judges of the apex court assemble for a full-court meeting when a matter of public importance relating to the judiciary comes up. It is called by the CJI.
Apart from the official requests, sources told ThePrint, the issue of holding a full-court meeting had also come up informally at many meetings between the CJI and other judges.
“All outstanding issues may not be sorted out in one full-court meeting. But it sends a message to the executive and the public that the judges are together and the apex court is not a fractured face,” a source privy to the developments said.
On Sunday, justices Ranjan Gogoi and Madan B. Lokur joined the growing chorus for a full-court meeting to sort out “institutional differences”.
While Lokur, set to retire this year, is the fifth most senior judge of the Supreme Court, Gogoi is next in line to be the CJI.
Last month, Justice J. Chelameswar wrote a strongly worded five-page letter to all his 22 colleagues, including the CJI, seeking a full-court meeting to discuss alleged executive interference in judicial appointments.
Chelameswar also cited a 1981 precedent to show that it was imperative for the CJI to call a full-court meeting.
His letter was followed by another from Justice Kurian Joseph, the fourth most senior judge, on 9 April. Joseph had sought a meeting of the seven most senior Supreme Court judges to discuss the Centre’s delay in taking a call on the collegium’s recommendations for judicial appointments.
Similar requests were made after the historic 12 January press conference. Several legal experts have said a full-court meeting will be the “ideal setting” for the judges to discuss their concerns about the functioning of the CJI.