Former CJI Gogoi has not opened his mouth in house since becoming MP, zero questions in three years, silent in debates, only 29% attendance

NEW DELHI: Criticisms are showered against the center for their action of appointing retired judges as governors and to the Rajya Sabha. The opposition had questioned the appointment of Justice Abdul Nazeer as the Governor of Andhra Pradesh. Justice Abdul Nazeer was part of the five-judge constitution bench that delivered a unanimous verdict in the Ramajanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case in November 2019 and awarded ownership of the disputed 2.77 acres of land in Ayodhya to the temple trust. However, the performance of former Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, who became an MP in the Rajya Sabha three years ago, is now being discussed. The Print, a national media prepared a report on Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi's involvement in the house.

While the average attendance of Rajya Sabha MPs remains at 79 per cent, that of Ranjan Gogoi is just 29 per cent. It has been three years since he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha, not a single question was asked in the Upper House. He never intervened in any discussion. As per the parliamentary records, he has not brought any bill in the House. The President of India nominated 12 persons to the Rajya Sabha who have special knowledge or practical experience in literature, science, art and social service.

Meantime, Gogoi's words to a news channel when appointed to the Rajya Sabha are being discussed now. "I have accepted the offer of nomination to the Rajya Sabha with a strong conviction that the legislature and the judiciary should at some point work together for nation building. My presence in Parliament will be an opportunity to project the views of the judiciary before the legislature and vice versa. However, the fact is that even after three years, Gogoi has not been able to open his mouth in the assembly.