Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra today met a seven-member delegation of the Bar Council of India (BCI) and assured it that the crisis following the virtual revolt by four of the most senior Supreme Court judges against him would be sorted out soon.
The BCI delegation held meetings with Chief Justice of India and other senior Supreme Court Judges to find a solution to the crisis created after the judges held a press conference two days back in which they raised sensitive issues like the assignment of important cases among the judges.
After a 50-minute meeting with Justice Misra, BCI chairman Manan Kumar Mishra told reporters that the meeting took place in a congenial atmosphere and Justice Misra assured them that everything would be sorted out soon.
During the meetings with them, the four judges had also assured the BCI team that “there will be no problem at all”, Mr Mishra said. He however said the Bar Council’s role was “very limited.”
The Bar Council delegation met Justice J. Chelameswar, the most senior judge after the CJI, who along with Justices Ranjan Gogoi, M B Lokur and Kurian Joseph, had addressed the press conference, leading to an unprecedented situation in the top judiciary.
As the Supreme Court fraternity struggled to solve the crisis “within the family,” the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Vikas Singh too called on Chief Justice Misra and handed over to him a resolution adopted by the SCBA.
Two other judges of the apex court ~ Justices S A Bobde and L Nageswara ~ were also learnt to have met Justice J Chelameswar at his official residence.
A Bar Council of India team met Supreme Court judge Arun Mishra also and discussed the crisis. Justice Arun Mishra was assigned by the CJI a PIL relating to the death of special CBI judge B H Loya, who was hearing the Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case.
At their press conference, the four senior Supreme Court judges raised questions on “selective” case allocation and certain judicial orders, sending shockwaves across the judiciary and polity.
BCI chairman Manan Mishra had said such matters should not be made public as the judiciary is an important pillar of the Constitution and people have unflinching faith in the judicial system.
The SCBA had yesterday expressed “grave concern” over the differences of the four senior judges with the CJI and had said the issue should be immediately considered by the full court of the apex court.