Meet ex-SC judge Justice Ajay Rastogi, appointed by Supreme Court to head panel for monitoring CBI probe into Karur stampede deaths

During his years at the bar, Justice Rastogi practised in various areas of law but specialised in constitutional and service law. He was appointed as the standing counsel for the Rajasthan High Court in 1990 and served in this role until his elevation as a judge in 2004.

He also served as the president of the Rajasthan High Court Bar Association in Jaipur from 1999 to 2000.

After his appointment as a judge of the Rajasthan High Court, he served as the Executive Chairman of the State Legal Services Authority from October 14, 2013, to October 18, 2016, during which under his leadership the authority won the National Award for three consecutive years.

He was appointed as the Administrative Judge of the Rajasthan High Court on July 19, 2014, and remained in this position until he was elevated to Chief Justice of the Tripura High Court on March 1, 2018.

Additionally, he served as Acting Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court from April 14, 2016, to May 13, 2016.

Justice Rastogi was elevated to the Supreme Court of India on November 2, 2018.

Notable cases:

He was part of several Constitution benches and contributed to significant rulings, which include:

Jallikattu verdict: He was part of the bench that upheld amendments made by Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, to allow the traditional bull-taming sports of Jallikattu and Kambala, and bullock-cart racing.

Triple talaq: He was on the bench that examined laws criminalising instant triple talaq among Muslims.

Women officers in Indian Army Navy: The bench he was part of on February 18, 2020, directed that women officers of the Indian Army, serving under Short Service Commission, be considered for grant of Permanent Commission, irrespective of tenure of service, and also for command posts in non-combat areas. Exactly a month later, the bench held that serving women Short Service Commission officers were entitled to be considered for grant of Permanent Commission in the Indian Navy.

Appointments in Election Commission of India: In a significant ruling, the bench he was part of ordered that the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners should be appointed on the advice of a committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Chief Justice of India.

UPSC exams: The bench he was a part of in 2021 rejected a plea filed by some civil service aspirants who had exhausted their last opportunity in the preliminary exams held in October 2020 and sought an extra attempt in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. Justice Rastogi, who authored the verdict, wrote, “It is within the realm of the executive to take a policy decision based on the prevailing circumstances for better administration and in meeting out the exigencies but at the same time, it is not within the domain of the Courts to legislate.”

Monday’s order came on petitions by Tamil actor Vijay’s party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), challenging the order of the Madras High Court single judge directing a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the stampede, as well as an order by the division bench of the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court that rejected a CBI probe into the matter