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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India proposes preferential trade agreement with Mexico to deal with high tariffs
New Delhi (PTI): India has proposed a preferential trade agreement (PTA) with Mexico to help domestic exporters deal with the steep tariffs announced by the South American country, a top government official said on Monday.
Mexico has decided to impose steep import tariffs - ranging from about 5 per cent to as high as 50 per cent on a wide range of goods (about 1,463 tariff lines) from countries that do not have free trade agreements with Mexico, including India, China, South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said that India has engaged with the country on the issue.
"Technical level talks are on...The only fast way forward is to try to get a preferential trade agreement (PTA) because an FTA (free trade agreement) will take a lot of time. So we are trying to see what can be a good way forward," he told reporters here.
While in an FTA two trading partners either significantly reduce or eliminate import duties on maximum number of goods traded between them, in a PTA, duties are cut or removed on a limited number of products.
Trading partners of Mexico cannot file a compliant against the decision on imposing high tariffs as they are WTO (World Trade Organisation) compatible.
The duties are within their bound rates, he said, adding that their primary target was not India.
"We have proposed a PTA because its a WTO-compatible way forward... we can do a PTA and try to get concessions that are required for Indian supply chains and similarly offer them concessions where they have export interests in India," Agrawal said.
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Citing support for local production and correction of trade imbalances, Mexico has approved an increase in MFN (most favoured nation) import tariffs (5-50 per cent) with effect from January 1, 2026 on 1,455 tariff lines (or product categories) within the WTO framework, targeting non-FTA partners.
Preliminary estimates suggest that this affects India's around USD 2 billion exports to Mexico particularly -- automobile, two-wheelers, auto parts, textiles, iron and steel, plastics, leather and footwear.
The measure is also aimed at curbing Chinese imports.
India-Mexico merchandise trade totalled USD 8.74 billion in 2024, with exports USD 5.73 billion, imports USD 3.01 billion, and a trade surplus of USD 2.72 billion.
The government has been continuously and comprehensively assessing Mexico's tariff revisions since the issue emerged, engaging stakeholders, safeguarding the interests of Indian exporters, and pursuing constructive dialogue to ensure a stable trade environment benefiting businesses and consumers in both countries.
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Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) Director General Ajay Sahai has said that Mexico's decision is a matter of concern, particularly for sectors like automobiles and auto components, machinery, electrical and electronics, organic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and plastics.
"Such steep duties will erode our competitiveness and risk, disrupting supply chains that have taken years to develop," Sahai said, adding that this development also underlines the little urgency for India and Mexico to fast-track a comprehensive trade agreement.
Domestic auto component manufacturers will face enhanced cost pressures with Mexico hiking duties on Indian imports, according to industry body ACMA.
