SC judges praise order, CJI refuses to comment

Justice Arun Mishra praised CJI Ranjan Gogoi for deciding on the ‘the most important litigation facing this country’.

In his first public address after delivering the crucial judgment in the Ayodhya case, Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi refused to delve on any “contentious” issue during an event in Guwahati on Sunday.

Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi refused to delve on any ‘contentious’ issue during an event in Guwahati on Sunday. (HT File Photo)

Gogoi, who is retiring on November 17, was addressing the launch of the Assamese translation of 2016 book Courts of India: past to present. “I do not wish to get into any contentious issue. This is not the occasion for this,” Gogoi said.

Other judges attending the event, however, heaped praise on CJI Gogoi and the verdict. Justice Arun Mishra praised CJI Gogoi for deciding on the “the most important litigation facing this country”. “He has achieved the impossible 1000-page judgement within three weeks, two weeks... this is rather impossible... a herculean task…”

While Justice Hrishikesh Roy said the “leadership of judging” was very well displayed in Saturday’s verdict, Justice Shripathi Ravindra Bhat called it a “turning point in history”, adding that it was a “unique moment which we must savour”.

Chief Justice-designate SA Bobde was also present at the event.