For first time, CJI to be part of SC vacation bench

New Delhi, May 11 (IANS) In an unprecedented development, Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi will be part of the Supreme Court’s vacation bench from May 25 to May 30, mainly to take care of any dispute that may arise in government formation after the Lok Sabha election results are declared on May 23.

The Supreme Court will remain closed for the annual summer break from May 13 to June 30 and will resume its regular work from July 1. The top court has a vacation bench functioning every year during the summer holidays but the Chief Justice of India never presides over it.

As per the notification of Vacation Benches, CJI Gogoi and Justice M.R. Shah will be part of the vacation bench from May 25 to 30 which will hear urgent miscellaneous matters and other regular matters. In May last year, the Supreme Court had to deal with a dispute related to Karnataka Assembly, when no political party got a majority in the elections and the Congress-JDS alliance moved the top court challenging the Governor’s decision to invite the BJP to form the government.

A specially-constituted three-judge Bench of justices A.K. Sikri, S.A. Bobde and Ashok Bhushan then heard the matter and ordered a floor test in the Karnataka Assembly, reducing the 15-day window given by the Governor to former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa to prove his majority.

The Supreme Court notification added that a Division bench of Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Sanjiv Khanna will be part of first bench from May 13 to May 20 and that of Justice Arun Mishra and Justice M.R. Shah are nominated for second bench from May 21 to 24.

–IANSak/akk/pgh/