Supreme Court rift: No need for outside intervention, says Justice Kurian Joseph

Justice Kurian Joseph, one of the four Supreme Court Judges who held the unprecedented press conference and warned that democracy is under threat, on Saturday said there was no need for an outside intervention in the matter.

“There is no need for outside intervention to solve the matter because it is a matter (that) occurred within an institution. Necessary steps would be taken by the institution itself to sort it out,” Justice Joseph told reporters in Kochi.

Justice Kurian said the issue was raised so that such actions would never occur in the future and expressed hope that it would be resolved.

 “The matter was not brought to the attention of the President of India as he has no constitutional responsibility over the Supreme Court or the judges of the apex court,” he said.

The remarks from Justice Kurian came after the Bar Council said that it will start meeting the judges in order to resolve the issue.

Earlier, Justice Kurian rejected the suggestions that they had violated discipline and expressed the hope that their action will bring in more transparency in the administration of the Supreme Court.

Also Read | Bar Coucil forms 7-member panel to meet all justices amid SC crisis

“Stood up for justice and judiciary...That is what we said there (in New Delhi) yesterday. Nothing beyond that,” Justice Joseph said.

Justice Kurian Joseph, along with three other judges – Justices J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan Lokur – on Friday held a press conference and levelled serious charges against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra.

The judges said, Chief Justice Misra was ignoring rules and assigning important cases to select benches “with no rationale,” indicating that CJI had sought to influence the outcome.

"The four of us are convinced that unless this institution is preserved and it maintains its equanimity, democracy will not survive in this country," Justice Jasti Chelameswar said at the press conference, held at his Delhi residence.

However, CJI Misra has not responded to any of the allegations but met with the Attorney General (AG) of India, who, in his statement, had said the “press conference could have been avoided.”