Former Chief Justice of India
NAME- Ranjan Gogoi
PROFESSION- Judge
BORN- 18/11/1954
PLACE OF BIRTH- Dibrugarh, Assam
FATHER’S NAME- Kesab Chandra Gogoi
MOTHER’S NAME- Shanti Gogoi
SPOUSE- Rupanjali Gogoi
SIBILINGS- 4
CHILDREN- 2
EDUCATION-
Completed schooling from Don Bosco High School and Cotton University, Guwahati, Assam
Completed graduation from St Stephens’s College, Delhi
Obtained LLB degree from Delhi University.
AWARDS- N/A
SPECIALISATION- N/A
COMMITTEE/PANEL HEADED- N/A
BACKGROUND- Ranjan Gogoi was the 46th Chief Justice of India. He started his career as an advocate and eventually became the Chief Justice in India. In the year 2020, he was nominated by Indian President to become member of Rajya Sabha.
Ranjan Gogoi was born in Assam. His father K.C. Gogoi was initially was lawyer and later he joined politics. Ranjan Gogoi, after completing his studies and obtaining Bachelors of Law degree from Delhi University, enrolled as an advocate in the year 1978.
As a lawyer he primarily practiced in the High Court of Guwahati. After practicing for more than 22 years, he was appointed as the permanent Judge of Assam High Court in the year 2001.
After approximately 9 years, in the year 2010, he was transferred to the High Court of Punjab and Haryana. On 12/02/2011 he was elevated as Chief Justice of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana.
Thereafter, in the year 2012, he sworn in as permanent Judge of the Apex Court of India. Later, in the year 2018 he became the 46th Chief Justice of India succeeding Justice Dipak Mishra. On 17/11/2019, he retired from Supreme Court. In the year 2020, he was nominated and appointed as member of Rajya Sabha. He took oath as Member of Parliament on 19/03/2020.
CAREER TIMELINE-
1978- Enrolled as an advocate and practiced in the High Court of Guwahati
2001- Appointed as Permanent Judge of the High court of Guwahati on 28/02/2001
2010- Transferred as Judge to the High Court of Punjab and Haryana
2011- Sworn in as the Chief Justice of High Court of Punjab and Haryana
2012- Became Judge of Supreme Court.
2018- Sworn in as 46th Chief Justice of India
2019- Retired from the Apex Court of India
2020- Nominated as Rajya Sabha member and he took oath on 19/03/2020.
LANDMARK JUDGEMENTS-
M Siddiq (D) Thr Lrs v. Mahant Suresh Das & Ors-
This case is popularly known as the Ayodhya Dispute case. The judgement in this case was given by CJI Ranjan Gogoi along with other judges. In this case, the party representing the Hindu faction contented that the disputed land earlier had a temple on it, which was demolished by a Mughal emperor called Babur. However, the Muslim party claimed that on the disputed land a mosque called Babri Masjid was built and thus they contended that the disputed land cannot be claimed by Hindu. The court in this case held that on the disputed land, a temple existed before Babri Masjid was built. The basis of court’s decision was the archaeological survey which said that remains of a huge temple like structure beneath Babri Masjid was found. Thus, the court awarded the title of land to deity of Shri Ram Virajman. The court further also allotted 5 acres of land for mosque construction in Ayodhya. The court in this case also held that the Ram Janmabhoomi is not a juristic entity.
Govindaswamy vs State of Kerala-
Also known as Soumya murder case, in this case the death penalty of Govindaswamy was set aside. The brief facts of this cases are that Soumya, a 23-year girl was assaulted and raped by Govindaswamy. Later, due to the injuries suffered she died. The trial court awarded death penalty to Govindaswamy for Soumya’s murder. Kerala High Court also upheld Trial Court’s decision. But the Supreme Court set aside death penalty and sentenced him to life imprisonment for offences committed. Ranjan Gogoi and other judges who were part of this judgement were criticised a lot for this decision.
CONTROVERSIES- He was one of the four judges who held a press conference and questioned Supreme Court’s working. In Indian History, this was the first time when judges came out in public and raised questions on Supreme Court’s working. This act of Judges was condemned a lot. In fact, the then CJI Dipak Mishra called this conference as an act to tarnish India’s Apex Court image.
Further, in the year 2019, a former female employee of Supreme Court alleged Gogoi of sexual harassment. She alleged that while working in office she was sexually harassed by Ranjan Gogoi in 2018, and thereafter she was terminated from office.
REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT- N/A