New Delhi : Chief Justice of India Surya Kant has declined a request to meet Leaders of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge ahead of the INDIA bloc’s planned march to the Supreme Court on Monday. Gandhi and Kharge, the Leaders of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha respectively, had sought a meeting on October 12.
The Chief Justice’s response was emailed to both leaders, the sources said. The issues they wanted to raise were already pending before the Supreme Court, making such a meeting inappropriate. The sources added that the court could not intervene in the government’s functioning through its administrative role. The leaders were told they could seek protection of their fundamental rights through the judicial process.
The row intensified after reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections on at least 14 occasions over 10 months, largely concerning SIR-related decisions. The Commission maintains that differing views are a normal part of deliberations and that its orders have legal backing and follow statutory procedures.
Gandhi said young people, Opposition parties and civil society groups would march to the Supreme Court. He accused police and BJP supporters of assaulting peaceful protesters in Delhi on Saturday. Kharge said the leaders wanted to seek the CJI’s intervention. He accused Modi and Shah of creating unrest, saying Saturday’s police deployment and detentions reflected the government’s fear of the agitation.
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