CJI removal matter: SC wants Attorney General's help on media gag, Congress sees red

A bench headed by Justice AK Sikri on Friday sought Attorney General KK Venugopal's assistance on a plea which sought a gagging media from reporting on the CJI's removal matter.

PTI File photo

New Delhi: On a day when Supreme Court sought Attorney General's assistance on a PIL seeking to restrain media from reporting on the issue of motion seeking removal of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, Congress questioned why the PIL was entertained by the apex court.

A bench headed by Justice AK Sikri on Friday sought Attorney General KK Venugopal's assistance on a plea which sought a gagging media from reporting on the matter. The opposition parties are planning the motion for removal.

Although the Supreme Court did clearly state that it would not restrain media till it hears from the AG, Congress quickly took the opportunity to indicate that certain PILs are entertained even as many others frowned upon. "A day after Supreme Court trashes PIL movers as carrying politically vested interests, it entertains a PIL to gag the media for reporting on CJI’s impeachment!" tweeted Congress spokespersn RS Surjewala. "Whose interests are such PIL serving?"

A day after Supreme Court trashes PIL movers as carrying politically vested interests, it entertains a PIL to gag the media for reporting on CJI’s impeachment!

Whose interests are such PIL serving?https://t.co/uDtPElMp2o

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) April 20, 2018

Surjewala was referring to Thursday's development that saw the SC observing that 'frivolous petitions - instituted at the behest of business or political rivals to settle scores behind the "facade" of a PIL, pose a grave danger to the credibility of judicial process.' The top court had said this while dismissing pleas seeking an independent probe into the death of CBI judge BH Loya.

(With inputs from IANS)