RM Lodha: situation in judiciary disastrous

NEW DELHI: Former CJI RM Lodha has termed the prevailing situation in the Supreme Court as “disastrous” and said though the CJI is the master of roster, allocation of cases has to be “fair and in the interest of the institution”.

Asserting that the “independence of judiciary is nonnegotiable”, Lodha said it was for the CJI to take the institution forward by showing “statesmanship qualities” and taking his colleagues together. “The phase we are seeing at the Supreme Court today is, to say the least, disastrous. It is high time that collegiality is restored.

The judges, though with their different approaches and different view points, must find a common ground that takes the Supreme Court forward. That maintains the independence of judiciary,” Lodha said at a book launch event.


Justice Lodha added: “I always felt that independence of judiciary is nonnegotiable and it is for the CJI to take them forward.”