JAMMU, Nov 08:This kind of situation never arose earlier in 70 years that Chief Justice of India has to call chief bureaucrat and police chief to his office chamber inside Supreme Court as it was witnessed this day on November 8, 2019 when Chief Justice of India, Mr. Ranjan Gogoi held a meeting with Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary and Director-General of Police to take stock of security arrangements in the State of Uttar Pradesh ahead of the verdict announcement next week on Ayodhya land/temple case. This was immediate reaction by a Sr. Advocate of the Supreme Court of India, Prof.Bhim Singh who is also an elected Sr. Executive Member of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) expressed a surprise that the Chief Justice of India, Mr. Ranjan Gogoi had to call an emergency meeting in his chamber in the Supreme Court and talk to the Chief Secretary and Director-General of Police of Uttar Pradesh where Babri Masjid/Temple is situated on the law and order situation which is a State Subject. A Sr. Advocate who has been practicing law in the Supreme Court since 1973 said that he had never witnessed/seen such a situation that the Supreme Court judge/judges shall invite the Chief Executive/Police Officers in judges’ chamber regarding a case which has been finally heard with judgment reserved.
The Sr. Advocate cautioned the echelons of power in the Central Govt. about the kind of message that has gone to all corners of India about the tomorrow’s judgment which has not been announced nor even the media or any group of people have dared to predict the judgment. Secondly, law and order is a state subject which shall have been taken care of by the Central Govt. if need be at appropriate time. Calling the functionaries by the Chief Justice of India who is heading the Constitution Bench which heard the matter for nearly 40 days and has reserved it to be announced a day or two before the retirement of the Chief Justice on November 17, 2019, deserves serious attention of the Union Govt. as well as the State Govt. all over the country. Holding an exclusive meeting by the presiding judge who happens to be a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India with the talk to functionaries of a state may not prove worth it.
It is the responsibility of the Union & State Govts. to take care of law and order situation. How far Chief Justice of India also a presiding judge in Ayodhya case was justified to call the Chief Secretary and the DG Police of Uttar Pradesh and hold one-hour exclusive meeting. How far the Hon’ble Chief Justice was justified and what shall be a legal or political re-precautions remains to be seen the immediate affect is that public tension has cropped long before the expected decision. What is expected from Parliament or judiciary and the role of a legislator and a judge has been clearly defined in the Constitution of India. Law and order is the responsibility of Union and State Govts. This is the responsibility of the respective government to enforce law created/interpreted by the judiciary. This is highly bold, though unexpected initiative by the Chief Justice of India which deserves attention of all political parties too, particularly in Uttar Pradesh.
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