Now that Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde has cleared the name of senior Supreme Court justice N V Ramana for appointing the latter as his successor, all eyes are on what YSR Congress party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister would do now.
Justice Bobde wrote to the Union law ministry, recommending Justice Ramana’s name for appointment to the highest judicial post of the country. A copy of the letter of recommendation was also handed over to his successor, Justice Ramana.
After scrutiny, the law ministry would send the file to the Prime Minister’s Office, which in turn would send the same, after due inquiry, to President of India for appointing Justice Ramana as the next CJI.
Justice Ramana was appointed to the Supreme Court on February 17, 2014. He is expected to take over as CJI on April 24, 2021 after the retirement of incumbent CJI, SA Bobde on April 23. Justice Ramana will have a considerably long tenure as CJI with over 16 months at the helm before he retires on August 26, 2022.
The question that is being discussed in the legal fraternity is whether Jagan would make any efforts to stall the appointment of Justice Ramana as the next CJI.
According to sources, there is no necessity that the Centre would strictly go by the recommendations of the CJI to appoint the senior-most judge as the next CJI.
“In April 1973, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had appointed Justice A N Ray as the CJI, superseding three senior judges of the top court – Justices Jaishanker Manilal Shelat, A N Grover and K S Hegde, which triggered uproar in the judiciary,” a source pointed out.
So, if Narendra Modi government thinks, there is every possibility that the appointment of Justice Ramana as the CJI could be stalled, subject to proving of allegations against him.
“It remains to be seen whether Jagan could use his good offices with the Modi government and see that the appoint
