00:00The opposition was seeking an appointment with the CJI.
00:02They wanted to discuss the CEC matter.
00:05But what we're learning is that the CJI has now rejected India Vlogs' request for a meeting.
00:10And the CJI has cited reasons also.
00:15The CJI has cited that the CEC issue is already before the top court.
00:19Meeting with the opposition won't be appropriate because the matter is already listed before the court.
00:24The CJI has also said that the Supreme Court cannot meddle in the government's administrative works.
00:30So sources have revealed that the Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Khanth,
00:34has now rejected the India Vlogs' request for a meeting to submit a memorandum.
00:40The CJI, as per reports, has explained the reasons for the decision in a response that was sent to the
00:44opposition bloc through an email.
00:47Now, according to sources close to the CJI's office,
00:49the issues the opposition wishes to raise are already under consideration by the Supreme Court.
00:55Therefore, such a meeting would not be appropriate.
00:57It was also pointed out that under the constitutional framework,
01:01the Supreme Court cannot interfere in the government's functioning on the administrative side.
01:06And the leaders were informed that if they wish to approach the court to protect their fundamental rights,
01:11they may do so through the judicial process.
01:14Now, that's the option that has been cited by the CJI.
01:16And my colleague Anisha Mathur is now joining us with more details on the CJI's response
01:22and the options that lie ahead of the opposition now.
01:25Anisha, very good morning to you.
01:26So what could be the strategy of the opposition?
01:29Will the opposition now file a petition before the Supreme Court
01:32since the CJI has stated and rejected the request for a meeting
01:37and has already stated that this matter is already before the Supreme Court?
01:41Well, see, we'll have to wait and see what the opposition is going to decide now.
01:44Remember, today they had announced that they want to march to the Supreme Court.
01:49They want to give a memorandum to the Chief Justice of India on the SIR issue,
01:53on the issue of allegations against CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
01:56But remember, the Supreme Court is already hearing that matter in a set of PILs.
02:01And the Supreme Court had issued notice on those PILs.
02:05That hearing is also scheduled very, very soon.
02:07And with the Chief Justice's response, he's also made it very clear that any petition,
02:13any thing that the opposition wants to say to the Supreme Court has to be said on the judicial side.
02:18Because remember, the Chief Justice of India, as the administrative head of the judicial branch of the government,
02:26may meet a lot of people.
02:28But when there is a matter that is being heard judicially by a court of law,
02:34then the Chief Justice of India, as the administrative head,
02:37is not ethically allowed to interfere in that particular matter.
02:43And that is exactly what the Chief Justice's response to the opposition party seems to have said,
02:48that if you have anything to say, please file a petition.
02:51We'll hear you on the judicial side.
02:53We'll have to see.
02:55We cannot entertain these kind of things on the administrative side.
03:00Now, we're still trying to get information from opposition sources,
03:05whether they are planning on moving any intervention petitions in that larger SIR matter,
03:10or in the petitions against Gyanesh Kumar.
03:12Because remember, there are already petitions pending in the Supreme Court,
03:17where notice has already been issued to the Election Commission,
03:20asking for file notings, asking for data on what exactly has happened,
03:26how exactly have decisions about the SIR form modifications been taken.
03:31The Supreme Court also, remember, had made it clear just a few days ago
03:34that the changes in Form 6 were not approved by the Supreme Court.
03:39They are not before the Supreme Court.
03:41They were not before the Supreme Court.
03:43And therefore, the question of what, if there was any misconduct by the Election Commission,
03:52will be clarified once the response from the EC and the government comes before the Supreme Court.
03:57And that hearing, as I repeat, is also scheduled very, very soon.
04:02We'll have to see how that will work out.
04:05And with the street protests also calling for Gyanesh Kumar's resignation,
04:10the street protests also calling for a look into the SIR issue,
04:16we'll have to see how the protests outside impact what is happening,
04:22not just in the judiciary, but also how the political corridors are responding to it.
04:26But the judiciary is making it clear that whatever has to be said there has to be said in a
04:31petition.
04:32Back to you.
04:33All right, Anisha, thank you for those details and for that context.
04:36So the CGI has rejected the opposition's request for a meeting,
04:39citing that the matter, the CC matter, is already before the court.
04:43And also the Supreme Court cannot meddle in the administrative government's administrative work
04:48and that the opposition will have to take a judicial route in this matter.
04:53So the CGI has drawn the line.
04:54Let's take a look at the response.
04:56So the CGI has stated that the issues raised by the opposition are already under the Supreme Court scrutiny.
05:02Therefore, meeting the opposition would not be appropriate.
05:06Supreme Court cannot interfere in government's administrative work.
05:09That's a very crucial reason that has been given by the CGI.
05:13And the CGI has also stated that basic rights can be protected through judicial process.
05:19Now, opposition is free to approach the court for redressal.
05:22This is what the CGI has cited in his mail in which he rejected the opposition's request for a meeting
05:29today.
