'Legislature and judiciary must work together for nation-building': Former CJI Ranjan Gogoi on why he accepted Rajya Sabha nomination

Former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, who was recently nominated to the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday said that he accepted the nomination as he was firmly convinced of the need for the legislature and judiciary to work together for nation-building. “I have accepted the offer of the nomination to the Rajya Sabha because of strong conviction that the legislature and judiciary must, at some point of time, work together for nation-building,” NDTV quoted him as saying. As per a report in the Indian Express, he told an Assamese news channel: “My presence in Parliament will be an opportunity to project the views of the judiciary before the legislature and vice versa." [caption id=“attachment_6591391” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi. News18[/caption] However, he added, that he would speak in details about the reasons behind his decision once he had taken oath. “I’ll go to Delhi probably tomorrow. Let me first take the oath then I will speak in detail to the media that why I accepted this and why I am going to Rajya Sabha,” ANI quoted the former CJI as saying. President Ram Nath Kovind had on Monday nominated Gogoi to the Upper House of the Parliament, attracting criticism from many, including leaders of Opposition parties . Gogoi served as the 46th Chief Justice of India from 3 October, 2018, to 17 November, 2019. On 9 November, 2019, the five-judge bench headed by him had delivered the verdict in the long-pending Ayodhya dispute case. He also headed a Supreme Court bench which monitored the National Register of Citizens (NRC) process in Assam. On 12 January, 2018, Justice Gogoi — along with Justices J Chelameswar, MB Lokur and Kurian Joseph — had called a press conference and said the situation in the top court was “not in order” and many “less than desirable” things had taken place. Unless this institution is preserved, “democracy will not survive in this country,” the four judges had said. A day later, Gogoi had said that “there is no crisis” in the Supreme Court. Gogoi will be the second Chief Justice of India to become a member of the Upper House. Former CJI Ranganath Mishra had been a member of the Rajya Sabha from 1998-2004 after joining the Congress. With inputs from agencies