New Delhi: One day ahead of the crucial in-house inquiry into the allegations of sexual harassment against Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, one of the panel members, Justice N.V. Ramana, recused from the committee headed by Justice S.A. Bobde.
A panel comprising Justices S.A. Bobde, Indira Banerjee and N.V. Ramana was set up on Tuesday to look into the allegations made by a former woman employee. The panel had issued notice to the woman and was scheduled to hear the matter for the first time on April 26.
Sources said that Justice Ramana opted out of the panel following objections from the complainant who said that Justice Ramana should drop out as he is a “family friend” of the Chief Justice and close to him. She also said the panel should have more women judges.
A new apex court judge is expected be inducted into the panel.
In a letter to Justice Bobde, she also raised question over the presence of only one-woman apex court judge — Indira Banerjee — in the panel. She said that as per the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court in the Vishaka judgment, for holding inquiry into the allegations of sexual harassment at work place, the committee must have a majority of women.
“I would humbly suggest that since I was posted in the CJI’s residence office, I know that Justice Ramana is a close friend of the CJI and is like a family member to him. Justice Ramana is a frequent visitor to the residence of the CJI. Because of this I fear that my affidavit and evidence will not receive an objective and fair hearing,” the complainant said.
The woman had also asked the panel to allow her to appear before it along with a lawyer and the proceedings of the committee be video recorded so that there can be no dispute about what transpired in the inquiry. In the letter, she also expressed concern over the oral statements made by the CJI when he sat on a bench on Saturday along with Justices Arun Mishra and Sanjiv Khanna.
“This is going to be an in-house procedure which does not contemplate representation of advocate on behalf of parties. It is not a formal judicial proceeding,” Justice Bobde made it clear.
