New Delhi: Last year, a bench headed by then-Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi had called the electoral bonds case a “weighty issue (which) would require an in-depth hearing”. But Gogoi has now said he does not remember the case, which has been in the Supreme Court since 2017.
Gogoi, who retired as the CJI in November 2019, was nominated by President Ram Nath Kovind to be a member of the Rajya Sabha on 16 March. He took oath as an MP last week.
In a television interview to Times Now Saturday, Gogoi said: “Electoral bond issue, I do not remember, frankly.”
An electoral bond is a kind of promissory note or bearer bond which is purchased by an individual, firm, company or association, and subsequently passed to a political party, which can get it encashed from the State Bank of India. The bond carries neither the name of the buyer nor the payee, giving complete anonymity to the donor.
While the SC had heard the 2017 petition seeking a stay on electoral bonds only in April 2019, it had refused to give a judgment on the issue, arguing that the case required an in-depth hearing. The court did not put an interim stay on the controversial scheme either. It did, however, ask political parties to submit details of donors to the Election Commission in sealed covers. It is learnt that the information is with the EC.
Also read: This is the justification ex-CJI Ranjan Gogoi is giving for accepting Rajya Sabha seat
‘Justice Gogoi didn’t change, perception did’
In 2018, Gogoi, who was then next-in-line to be CJI, was part of an unprecedented press conference conducted by four Supreme Court judges, in which they had expressed reservations about then-CJI Dipak Misra’s style of functioning.
In Saturday’s Times Now interview, Gogoi said the same people who had hailed him as a good judge in the aftermath of that press conference began criticising him later.
“Justice Gogoi — he was good after the press conference… Somewhere down the line, he became a rotten apple,” he said, referring to himself in third person.
“I did not change… 20 years of my judgeship, I did not change,” he said. “The perceptions changed because I remained constant.”
Also read: Those criticising Ranjan Gogoi nomination forgot he became CJI after being a dissenting judge
Selective Amnesia OR just plain Alzheimer’s?
Gogoi may have forgotten all the judgements he n his bench delivered-againt LAW/Constitution n tradition of SEALED COVERS
Gogoi brought disrepute to the judiciary , not that others are any better , but you expect your honors to be above board .In a normal corruption , gratification is given first and the work is done after .If the corrupt do the bidding first and the gratification follows later ,cause and effect is reversed in chronology thus making the link unclear and bit tenuous . India is ranked by transparency international quite low in the corruption Index , Somebody is corrupt in India , one now has to leave it to the faithful to determine who it is ?
GoGoi-ngGone!!
Another one bites the dust!
Funny that he remembers the black sheep in the judiciary though, whom he citesd to justify his presence in the Rajya Sabha! Of course, one must give credit where it’s due.. selective amnesia, thick skin and picking the side with power – he seems to be a natural politician!
I wonder if he remembers his own statement about post retirement benefits influencing judgements! ?
So why are you always lurking around this space reading those “crooks masked as journalists”, and writing comments, which don’t change a single mind? Why are you diminishing yourselves so much?
Justice Gogoi is right. He has a right to choose his post retirement occupation or position which is his fundamental right under the constitution. Nomination is a recognition of his valued service to the Society which we should have courage to accept with humility. Those criticising his nomination have stooped very low . This reflect their sickness of mind .
CJ Mr Gogoi said that Kapil sibal wanted his help to impeach CJI Mr Mishra is not even mentioned in your article.Out of so many things said by him only that he did not remember electoral bonds matter is given prominence.In anothher article shekhar gupta said journalists are very respected in India.He is mistaken They are held as one of most unethical professionals in India..This article about Mr Gogoi again proves it
You are referring to crooks masked as journalists – plenty of them in ThePrint.. They wear mask of journalist but bid for a particular political ideology.