SC judges praise the apex court and CJI

Four judges of the Supreme Court on Sunday, almost in a similar tone, held Saturday's judgement on Ayodhya case as historic and " the impossible made possible" by the apex court.

Without uttering the Ayodhya word, the four judges also praised the commitment and the capacity of taking other judges on board while hearing and pronouncing the judgment by the Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi.

Chief Justice Gogoi, Chief Justice-designate Sharad Bobde, Justice Arun Kumar Mishra, Justice Sripathi Ravindra Bhatt, Justice Hrishikesh Roy, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and others gathered and spoke about the verdict at a function here to release the Assamese translated version of the book, Courts of India: Past to Present. The English book was published and released by the Supreme Court in 2016 and it was decided to translate it into six regional languages including Assamese.

"Justice Gogoi showed courage when he decided to take up the most important litigation, which was finishing this country. Taking everybody on board is a rare capacity and Justice Gogoi has that capacity. When he decided to hear the case, he asked all other judges to sit, discuss and find out a solution. To me, it was an impossible task--a judgment of over 1,000 pages prepared in two to three weeks time. This was rather the most impossible task. This shows the determination to decide the case and the Supreme Court has the capacity to achieve," said Justice Mishra, who spoke first at the function.

Justice Bobde, who will take charge from Justice Gogoi on November 18 said the CJI was "such a mettle" and a strong character that it was difficult to get a wrong past him. "His capacity to take everybody on board is so strong that he does not do anything till all in the team is convinced. Judiciary is designed for the welfare of all citizens and an independent judiciary is one of the institutions to achieve the same. Today we have gathered here to celebrate the rich legacy of our judiciary," he said.

Justice Bhatt said the way all judges in the bench spoke in the same language was unique and a historic moment for India and such thing has never happened in the country. "One judge of the United States said when the court speaks, it speaks for the Constitution and when the court speaks in one voice, it's unique."

Justice Roy, who served in Gauhati High court before being promoted as a judge in the Supreme Court, while referring to the verdict said it was an impossible made possible.

Sonowal showered praise saying the judgment was acceptable for all and he was proud that Gogoi hails from Assam.

Justice Gogoi, who was the last speaker in the event said, "Today I don't want to get into any contentious issue. This is not the occasion. Today I seek your good wishes for the second innings of my career (retirement)," he said. He retires on November 18.