SC's Autonomy Compromised Under Previous Regimes But Not Under CJI Bobde So Far: Abhishek Singhvi

One of the most highly successful and highly paid Supreme Court lawyers, Abhishek Singhvi, says that the Supreme Court under its previous Chief Justice, Ranjan Gogoi, compromised its independence and fearlessness. He says the Supreme Court, in matters where there are great stakes involved, has shown a reluctance to act against the government. Two examples where this was most apparent are the constitutional cases regarding the abrogation of 370, which have been repeatedly deferred, and the many habeas corpus petitions which have also not been taken up. He says: “When it appears that the government has erred, the Court has shown a pattern of deferring, adjourning and otherwise leaving the issue aside until it has lost the importance it had.”