Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Sunday declined a request from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for a meeting over the ongoing row surrounding the voters list and the Election Commission, saying the matter is already before the top court and should be pursued through judicial proceedings.
In a letter to the Congress leaders on Sunday, CJI Kant said “convening a meeting to discuss pending cases would wholly contravene the principle of separation of powers, an intrinsic facet of the basic structure doctrine of the Constitution of India, and would be incompatible with the established ethics and judicial propriety.
He also said the top court does not have administrative powers to deal with issues raised by the Congress leaders, though it is duty-bound to consider matters affecting citizens’ rights through its judicial jurisdiction. He said the court remains committed to protecting the fundamental rights of every citizen and that people are entitled to seek enforcement of those rights through procedure established by law. “ Rural development minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan said a proper procedure has to be followed to meet the CJI. “All that the Congress is doing is drama,” he said.
Party leaders had sought an appointment between 4pm and 5pm on Monday to submit a memorandum concerning the functioning of the Election Commission, the alleged arbitrary arrest of students, the closure of metro stations and the cancellation of trains. Earlier reporting noted: Responding to the INDIA bloc’s request for a meeting, the CJI said he had received a letter on Sunday and replied the same night, explaining why he would be unable to meet the delegation. Earlier reporting noted: “I received the letter yesterday, so I replied to it last night.
Addressing a press conference at the Indira Bhawan headquarters of the Congress, he also asked the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar to turn approver and resign as the Opposition’s fight was against the bigger powers that were behind him. The Congress has been seeking Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
Anyone can approach us with a petition, whether an ordinary citizen or a member of an elected body,” he said. I have given some reasons in the letter on the basis of which I expressed my inability to meet him,” he said after speaking at an NHRC’s 33rd Foundation Day function.
Earlier reporting noted: “The doors of the Supreme Court are open to all.
There was no immediate reaction from the Congress at the time of filing this report but Gandhi, earlier in the day, said INDIA bloc leaders will march to the Supreme Court on Monday and file a petition against the poll panel chief and ‘vote chori’.
