The Supreme Court has been on a spree to pronounce verdicts in highly important cases as the retirement of the Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi comes closer. Last week it delivered the verdict on the protracted Ram Temple-Babri Masjid dispute. Tomorrow, the apex court will declare verdicts in the politically significant issue of Rafale and deeply emotive matter of Sabarimala verdict. The CJI is stated to retire on November 17, 2019.
A constitution bench comprising of CJI Gogoi, Justices Rohinton Fali Nariman, AM Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra will declare Sabarimala verdict tomorrow at 10:30 AM.
The Supreme Court had reserved its judgment in the Sabarimala verdict after hearing the review petitions in September this year, challenging the court’s verdict of lifting the ban on women of menstrual age to enter the shrine of Sabarimala-The abode of Lord Ayyappa. The court verdict sparked a series of protest with many asserting that the court cannot interfere in the centuries-old tradition of the Sabarimala temple. There were 65 petitions including 56 review petitions and 4 writ petitions against the judgment passed by the top court.
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The Rafale verdict will be delivered after the Sabarimala judgment by a bench of three justices comprising CJI Gogoi, Justices SK Kaul and K M Joseph.
The petitioners had approached the apex court seeking a review of its verdict dismissing a plea challenging India’s agreement with France for the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets. Petitioners Prashant Bhushan and Arun Shourie argued in the court that the government had made false submissions in the court and the verdict dismissing the plea contesting India’s agreement with France was based on incorrect and incomplete facts presented by the government. After the conclusion of arguments, the bench of CJI Ranjan Gogoi, Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and KM Joseph reserved the judgement in both the cases.