New Delhi: Former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, who was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in March 2020 soon after he retired from the Supreme Court, has not asked a single question in parliament so far. He has also not introduced any private member’s Bill, and the section of the Rajya Sabha website where you can find audio and video recordings of MPs says “no records found” for Gogoi, the Indian Express reports.
Ever since he became MP, Gogoi has shown little interest in parliamentary proceedings, or even attending parliament. According to PRS Legislative Research, his attendance stands at just 30% – though it may be possible that he attended more days without signing the attendance register.
The Wire had earlier brought Gogoi’s silence in parliament and low attendance to notice in 2021 and again in 2022.
When his nomination had been widely criticised – and was seen as the Modi government returning the favour for the favourable judgments Gogoi had passed (most importantly the Babri Masjid land judgment) – he said that he was entering parliament for “an opportunity to project the views of the judiciary before the legislature and vice versa”.
In 2021, when asked in an NDTV interview about his low attendance, Gogoi said, “I go to the RS when I feel like, when I think there are matters of importance on which I should speak. I am a nominated member, not governed by any party whip. Therefore, whenever the bell rings for the party members to come, it does not bind me.”
A number of MPs from opposition parties had submitted privilege motions against him for these remarks.
Another judge who was a party of the Ayodhya case – Justice S. Abdul Nazeer – was recently made governor of Andhra Pradesh. His appointment too has been widely criticised. It remains to be seen though, whether Justice Nazeer too will take little interest in the responsibilities his new office have to offer.