'When courts speaks, it speaks for Constitution', brother judges in Ayodhya case laud CJI Gogoi for his robust grit, mettle, character

New Delhi, November 11: Senior Supreme Court judges on Monday heaped praises on CJI Ranjan Gogoi for his handling of the Ram Janmabhoomi case and delivering the judgment on the grumpy issue. Chief Justice-Designate S A Bobde affirmed that Justice Gogoi's grit, mettle and character were so strong that it was difficult to get anything wrong passed.

 

The apex in a unanimous verdict on Saturday cleared the way for the construction of a Ram Temple at the disputed site at Ayodhya, and directed the Centre to allot a 5-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board for building a mosque.

 

 

However, declining to comment on the verdict, CJI Gogoi expressed his wish to not get into any contentious issue. "I consider myself to be privileged to have worked with Justice Gogoi, whose grit, mettle and character are so strong that it is difficult to get anything wrong passed," Justice Bobde said.

 

"Democracyis designed for welfare of all citizens and an independent judiciary is one of the instruments to be used for that purpose. Justice Gogoi's sense of justice by taking along everybody is so strong that he does not do anything unless all concerned give consent", he added during release of the Assamese version of the 'Courts of India: Past to Present', published by the Supreme Court.

 

Another senior judge, Justice Arun Mishra meanwhile said that Justice Gogoi decided the most important indecision that the country was facing. "He has achieved impossible with the 1,000-page judgement within two-three weeks. This is rather the most impossible task achieved by his regime. He shows not determination to decide that case, but what the Supreme Court has capability of doing and what it can achieve. You made a name in history," he said.

 

"The judiciary is going through a critical phase, where people want to control everything but Justice Gogoi has provided the insulation, courage and quality through his decisions. I see when Justice Gogoi is retiring in few days, he is demiting the office in most difficult times. Justice Bobde's task to take over is not easy", the fourth senior-most judge of the apex court said.

 

Justice Gogoi is due to retire on November 17. "Justice Gogoi has made this country indebted with his decisions and will be remembered for his courage and determination in delivering the verdicts," Justice Mishra said.

 

Terming the decision as a turning point in the Supreme Court's history, Justice Shripathi Ravindra Bhat said, "Yesterday, we saw one history, which I am sure when all the dust has settled, will remain indelible in Indian judicial history that the courts spoke in one word. It has never happened. It has happened but once in the past in the US. That was a very defining moment when did away with separate but equal. That was the unanimous verdict like yesterday".