Justice Chandrachud’s remarks may justify curative plea against Ayodhya verdict: Prof. Mohan Gopal
New Delhi: Legal scholar Professor Mohan Gopal has said that former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud’s recent comments on the Babri Masjid dispute may provide sufficient grounds to seek a curative petition against the Supreme Court’s 2019 Ayodhya judgment.
Speaking at the CH Mohammed Koya National Seminar at the University of Calicut, Prof. Gopal observed that Justice Chandrachud’s remark describing the Babri Masjid’s construction as a “fundamental act of desecration” contradicted the 2019 verdict. The judgment, delivered by a five-judge Bench led by then CJI Ranjan Gogoi, had noted that there was no evidence to prove the mosque was built after demolishing a temple. Justice Chandrachud was widely believed to have authored that ruling.
Prof. Gopal argued that such inconsistency undermines confidence in the judiciary. “The ultimate responsibility of a court is to deliver judgments that inspire trust. Justice must not only be done but also be seen to be done, especially by those who lose the case,” he said, adding that the verdict stood “vitiated” in light of the former CJI’s subsequent remarks.
Calling the judgment “contrived” and “unreasoned,” Prof. Gopal also criticised the unsigned addendum as “pure theocracy.” He stressed that judges must be transparent about their ideological leanings, recalling how Justice Chinnappa Reddy openly acknowledged his Marxist beliefs.
“If Justice Chandrachud had strong beliefs about the Ayodhya issue, then he should have recused himself,” Prof. Gopal remarked. He questioned whether the judge, “a good friend and a remarkable jurist,” had shown sufficient judicial integrity by not disclosing his position during the case.
Prof. Gopal suggested that a curative petition could serve as both a legal remedy and a tool for public education. “Let us work on a curative petition and demand that the whole matter be reheard. This is the kind of reaction through which we can mould public opinion and hopefully even approach the Court to get a rehearing,” he said.
The 2019 Ayodhya verdict granted the disputed site to Hindu parties for the construction of a Ram temple while allocating an alternate plot to the Sunni Waqf Board.
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Annpurna Devi expresses anguish over girl's rape in TN, urges NCW to act
New Delhi (PTI): Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annpurna Devi on Tuesday expressed her anguish over the alleged gang rape of a girl in Tamil Nadu and urged the National Commission for Women to take immediate cognisance of the matter.
In a post on X, Devi said, "Deeply anguished by this horrific incident. I urge the NCW to take immediate cognisance and act swiftly in coordination with the concerned authorities to ensure the strictest action against all culprits."
Devi said, "Justice must be swift and unsparing — the accused must be brought to book without delay," adding, "the safety, dignity, and justice of every daughter of India remain our highest priority."
"We stand firmly with the survivor and her family in this difficult hour," she said.
Reacting to a post by former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai, who flagged concerns over the law and order situation in the state, Devi said such incidents "expose grave concerns" under the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government.
Annamalai, in his post, alleged that a 15-year-old girl from Kanchipuram, who had come to participate in a temple festival near Seyyaru in Tiruvannamalai district, was gangraped.
He said the incident was "deeply shocking and enraging" to him and alleged that such crimes point to a "complete failure" of law and order in Tamil Nadu.
Annamalai demanded immediate arrest of all those involved and the "harshest punishments" for the accused.
He also called for full protection and mental health counselling for the survivor and her family.
