Ex-CJI Gogoi explains why he accepted RS nomination

Former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, whose nomination to Rajya Sabha has been questioned by many parties, on Tuesday said he would speak in detail about accepting the offer of a seat to the Upper House after he takes oath.

Briefly talking to reporters who went to meet him at his residence in Guwahati, Gogoi said "I will go to Delhi probably tomorrow."

"Let me first take oath, then I will speak in detail to the media why I accepted this and why I am going to Rajya Sabha," he said.

In a gazette notification on Monday, President Ram Nath Kovind nominated Gogoi to the Council of States to fill the vacancy caused due to the retirement of one of the nominated members.

There have been debates in the political circles and other quarters on the nomination of Gogoi, who had retired in November last year as the Chief Justice of India after serving for about 13 months.

On the criticism of his RS nomination, Gogoi told a local news television channel, "I have accepted the offer of the nomination to the Rajya Sabha because of a strong conviction that the legislature and
judiciary must at some point of time work together for nation-building.

"My presence in Parliament will be an opportunity to project the views of the judiciary before the legislature and vice versa," he said.

"Let God give me the strength to have an independent voice in the parliament", the former CJI said, adding, "I have much to say, but let me take the oath in the parliament and then I shall open up".

Justice Gogoi was among the apex court's four sitting judges who held an unprecedented press conference in January 2018 when they claimed then Chief Justice Dipak Misra had allotted "selective assignment of cases to preferred judges" and "sensitive cases were being allotted to junior judges".