Social Activists Demands Independent Inquiry Into Allegations Of Sexual Harassment And Victimization Against The CJI

Expressing deep concern over the complaint of sexual harassment against the Chief Justice of India, the Civil Society demands an independent inquiry by a high-level independent committee saying the charges are "prima facie serious enough to warrant an independent inquiry by a high level independent committee." It has called upon all the judges of the Supreme Court to ensure that an independent and credible inquiry committee comprising senior retired judges and eminent members of civil society, headed by a woman, be immediately set up to inquire into this complaint. In the meantime, since many of the witnesses named by the complainant are officials of the Supreme Court registry, it is incumbent on the Chief Justice to refrain from exercising any administrative powers during the course of the inquiry, since it would not be reasonable to expect officials under his direct administrative control to depose fearlessly." Statement has been endorsed by: Medha Patkar Arundhati Roy Aruna Roy Kamla Bhasin Bezwada Wilson Yogendra Yadav Kalpana Kannabiran Harsh Mander Syeda Hameed P. Sainath Kavita Kuruganti Dipa Sinha Annie Raja Anjali Bhardwaj Nikhil Dey Prabhat Patnaik Aakar Patel Shabnam Hashmi Kamal Jaswal Amitabh Behar Paul Divakar Maj Gen S.G.Vombatkere Kavita Srivastava Arundhati Dhuru Vipul Mudgal Amrita Johri Meera Sanghamitra Abha Bhaiya Himshi Singh Basant Hetamsaria Suhas Kolhekar Annie Namala Uma Earlier, the Supreme Court Advocates On Record Association passed a resolution expressing deep reservation against the "procedural impropriety shown by Hon'ble Mr. Justice Ranjan Gogoi in the suo motto proceedings held on April 20 on the issue relating to allegations of sexual harassment against Hon'ble Mr. Justice Ranjan Gogoi, by an ex-Supreme Court employee."