With the sexual harassment allegations case against Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi gaining momentum, 250 women have written a letter to the Supreme Court asking the judges to conduct the probe in a fair manner.
The women who signed the letter include lawyers, women's rights activists, social activists and women from the academic line. Some of them were Nandita Shah from Akshara-Mumbai, Labia of Queer Feminist LBT Collective-Mumbai, and Dr Rukmini Rao of Gramya Resource Centre for Women-Hyderabad.
One of their requests was that the CJI not to carry out any official duties or transactions while the investigation and the case are underway. They requested him to wait till the case is over, reports Times of India.
Another request was to form a special inquiry committee to look into the matter and that the investigations be done according to the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013.
When the letter was submitted to the Supreme Court, the committee comprised of Justice Bobde as the chair, with Justice NV Ramana and Justice Indira Mukherjee. According to TOI, the letter read, "Justice Bobde has appointed a committee with himself as chair and Justices N V Ramana and Indira Banerjee as members. The constitution of this committee with no external member is in complete violation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013."
However, Justice Ramana recused himself from the case on April 25, Thursday, citing that Gogoi is a family friend and that there may be a conflict of interest. He added that the CJI may not get a fair trial if he was part of the bench.
When Justice Bobde, who is next in seniority after CJI Gogoi, said that he chose Justice Ramana since he is the most senior after himself.
