Supreme Court-appointed committee: CJI says can’t disqualify a panel member over previous views

In comments that may be relevant to the Supreme Court-appointed committee to look into issues related to the farm laws, Chief Justice of India S A Bobde Tuesday observed that a person will not be disqualified from being a member of any committee merely because he or she previously held an opinion on the subject being considered by it.

“There is some confusion regarding the law. Somebody may have an opinion before being part of the committee but his opinion can change. There is no way that such a person cannot be part of the committee,” the CJI observed during the hearing of a case that raised the question of inadequacies and inefficiencies in criminal trial.

The comments come at a time protesting farmers groups have said that they will not cooperate with the four-member committee constituted by the top court on January 12 in an attempt to find a solution to the farm laws issue, saying its members had taken a stand in favour of the farm laws in the past.

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On Wednesday, the SC bench headed by the CJI is set to hear an application by the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lok Shakti) seeking reconstitution of the panel.