Media showed maturity in trying times: Outgoing CJI

Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 15

Outgoing Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi on Friday thanked the media for displaying “maturity and character” in their reporting in “trying times” during his tenure.

Justice Gogoi, who faced sexual harassment charges from a woman employee of the top court, praised the fourth estate, describing them as “defenders of truth and democratic ideals”.

“…the press corps has been kind to my office as well as to our institution during my tenure at the helm of the institution. Even during trying times, when our institution was keeping an ambush or two at bay, most of the Press displayed maturity and character, and exercised exceptional discretion to prevent canards and falsehood from clogging the news space. To me, those were the times when the stellar role of journalists, as defenders of truth and democratic ideals came to the fore,” a statement released by his office stated.

The CJI, however, refused to give interviews to journalists. The CJI said he received requests for one-on-one interviews from several journalists, but the “bench requires judges to maintain silence while exercising their freedoms.”

“Judges do speak out of functional necessity; bitter truths must remain in memory… idea of courting the press never endeared itself as a choice in the interest of my institution,” it read.

Justice Gogoi was part of the January 12, 2018 press conference held by four senior-most judges against then CJI Dipak Misra’s style of functioning. Justice Gogoi— who retires on Sunday — sat for the last time in court number 1 of the Supreme Court and finished the day’s work quickly by issuing notices in almost all the matters. Later, Supreme Court Bar Association gave him a warm send off.

During last few days in office, Justice Gogoi delivered several important verdicts, including on Ayodhya land dispute, restriction on women’s entry into Sabarimala, Rafale deal and applicability of RTI to CJI’s office.