Dissenting judges have questioned competency of junior SC judges: Delhi bar body

The Delhi bar association said on Sunday that by questioning the assignment of cases, the dissenting Supreme Court (SC) judges have doubted the competency of junior SC judges.

"The statement of the four Judges has given the impression that the junior Supreme Court judges are not competent enough. We feel that all Supreme Court judges have equal integrity and are equally competent," the co-ordination committee of All District Court Bar Associations of Delhi has said in a statement, issued today.

The bar association has also said the media should have exercised caution while reporting the rift between Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra and the four SC judges, justices Jasti Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B Lokur and Kurian Joseph.

The apparent crisis in the top court came to the fore when the dissenting judges on Friday held a press conference - a first by apex court judges - and alleged that the CJI had been violating the conventions in his role as the master of the roster.

Earlier in the day, the association members held a press conference in this regard and said the matter should have been resolved internally.

They said the judges should have approached the Supreme Court Bar Association or the senior advocates of the Supreme Court or the President.