Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde, who was appointed the 47th Chief Justice of India, said on Wednesday that the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi land dispute is one of the most important cases in the world. Justice Bobde is part of the five-member Constitution bench which is expected to deliver the keenly awaited verdict in the case by November 15.
"Ayodhya case is definitely important. It is one of the most important in the world," he said in an interview to the NDTV.
Justice Bobde, will take oath as the CJI on November 18, a day after incumbent Ranjan Gogoi demits office.
The top court bench, headed by CJI Gogoi, wrapped up the 40-day long marathon hearings in the politically sensitive case on October 16.
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Fourteen appeals had been filed in the apex court against the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgment, delivered in four civil suits, that the 2.77-acre land in Ayodhya be partitioned equally among three parties—the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.
The apex court on August 6 had started day-to-day proceedings in the case after the earlier mediation process to resolve the dispute had failed.
In September, the top court had set October 18 deadline to wrap up hearing. In October, the court revised the deadline to October 17. The verdict is expected before November 17 when CJI Gogoi retires.
On Collegium deliberations
In another interview to PTI, Justice Bobde said he is not in favour of disclosing the deliberations of the Supreme Court's Collegium on rejection of names for higher judiciary, saying it is not a question of secrecy but the right to privacy.
He said a conservative approach on the issue of disclosing the entire deliberations of the Collegium was necessary as "people's reputation are at stake" and it cannot be sacrificed just to satisfy the desire of citizens to know.
The statement by Justice Bobde, who was part of a nine-judge Constitution bench which declared right to privacy as a fundamental right, assumes significance in the wake of a growing clamour for more transparency in the functioning of the apex court's Collegium.
'Judges have a life to live'
Batting for the right to privacy of those who have not been selected by the Collegium for appointment or elevation as judges in the higher judiciary, Justice Bobde said they also have a "life to live" and why should their negative details be put in public domain.
"It is not a question of secrecy but question of privacy. I am not saying that we should resort back to older method but I am saying a recent decision was taken by the Collegium that we would give the names of all those only who we are appointed and not of those who are rejected or reasons for rejection," Justice Bobde said.
Inputs from PTI