‘Are you waiting for me to retire? CJI Gavai raps govt

{ REPEATED ADJOURNMENTS IN TRIBUNAL ACT HEARING

- Utkarsh Anand

NEW DELHI: Chief Justice of India Bhushan R Gavai on Thursday took strong exception to the Union government seeking yet another adjournmentin the hearing on petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Tribunal Reforms Act, remarking that the Centre appeared to want the case heard only after he demitted office on November 23.

The matter concerns appointments to key tribunals, with the debate being over whether or not existing appointment norms give these the independence they need to have from the executive.

When Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati mentioned the matter and sought to defer Friday's hearing citing Attorney General R Venkataramani”s engagement in an international arbitration, the CJI's response was blunt.

“Ifyou do not want us to hear and deliver the judgment, just tell us. Looks like you want this matter only after November 24,” CJI Gayai told Bhati. “We have accommodated the Attorney General thrice but we keep hearing that he is busy in international arbitration. You have a fleet of learned ASGs. Let somebody else argue this matter,” Justice Gavai added.