Judges taking government appointments immediately after retirement raises ethical concerns – says Justice B.R. Gavai, Chief Justice of India....

As we know, last year, Calcutta High Court judge, Justice Abhijit Ganguly resigned from the post and contested Parliament election as a BJP candidate. The former Chief Justice of India, Justice Ranjan Gogoi, was nominated as a Rajya Sabha member by the government, after his retirement. Some Supreme Court judges have been appointed as governors of states, by the Central Government, after their retirements. The public view that this is nothing but the government influencing judges of the High Court and Supreme Court, to get judgements in favour of the ruling party. Under these circumstances, the Chief Justice of India, Justice B.R. Gavai, has told that judges taking up government posts after retirement, have raised ethical concerns. This is a significant statement by the sitting Chief Justice of India. Delivering lecture in a seminar organised by the Supreme Court of the UK last Tuesday, Justice B.R. Gavai said, “if a judge takes up another appointment with the government immediately after retirement, or resigns from the post to contest elections, it raises significant ethical concerns and invites public scrutiny.”