New Delhi, Jan 14: A seven-member panel of Bar Council of India will meet Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra on Sunday to discuss and resolve the crisis at the Supreme Court that unfolded after an unprecedented press conference of four judges of the top court. Bar Council, the regulatory body of lawyers had said the issues of contention could have been solved internally. The council head also said the body will also write to the government to resolve the issue of memorandum of procedure. [Also read: CJI Unlikely to Introduce Any Changes at Supreme Court, Claims Report]
BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra said the panel will meet both parties, CJI Dipak Misra and four judges, to resolve the crisis. “Our delegation will meet Chief Justice Dipak Misra and those four senior judges to request them to resolve the issue internally. It was most unfortunate that four senior judges held a press conference, sending out a message that all was not well with the Supreme Court and that the issue should have been sorted out internally,” the BCI Chairman stated. [Also read: Supreme Court Crisis: Stood Up For Justice And Judiciary, Says Justice Kurien]
In a letter, Justice Kurien Joseph along Justice Chelameswar, Justice Madan Lokur and Justice Ranjan Gogoi of the apex court alleged that Dipak Misra was allotting the cases, having resounding implications, to preferred benches in an arbitrary manner. They added that the administration of the top court is not in order and it is seriously challenging the institutional integrity. [Also read: How a Supreme Court Judge is Removed from His Office]
The press conference created an uproar in corridors of power. Commenting the crisis, Attorney general K K Venugopal said the issue will be resolved by Monday.“Let’s hope everything works out very well. I am sure everything will be settled,” said Venugopal. He added that the conference could have been avoided and issue must have resolved internally.