Justice Gangopadhyay of the Calcutta High Court has announced his intention to resign from his judicial position, citing a newfound aspiration to serve the public through politics, amid speculations that he would be fielded by the BJP for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. This decision marks a significant departure from his legal career, highlighting a unique transition from the courtroom to the political arena.
Kolkata: Senior advocate and Trinamool Lok Sabha chief whip Kalyan Banerjee has urged the Calcutta High Court bench to invalidate all “political orders” issued by Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay in cases related to the Staff Selection Commission (SSC). Banerjee, representing job-seekers in the alleged school recruitment scam, argued that Justice Gangopadhyay, who announced his resignation from the judiciary to pursue a political career, had authored orders with a political agenda.
Justice Gangopadhyay declared his decision to resign from the judiciary on Tuesday, stating his intention to combat corruption in a broader political arena. While he did not disclose his party affiliation or potential candidacy in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, sources suggest negotiations with the BJP for a possible candidacy in the Tamluk Lok Sabha constituency.
Banerjee’s formal application before the bench of Justice Debangsu Basak and Justice Md Shabbar Rashidi highlighted concerns about the ethical transition of judges into politics. Despite Justice Gangopadhyay’s assurance that he would refrain from issuing judicial orders during his last day in court, questions linger about the adequacy of the transition period. Legal experts, including senior advocate Milon Mukherjee, have raised objections, suggesting that the decision to transition from a High Court judge to politics might have been contemplated over a longer period.
Former Bengal advocate-general Jayanta Mitra criticized the situation, labeling it as “avoidable” and expressing relief that it marked the end of a contentious chapter in the history of the Calcutta High Court. Nonetheless, experts emphasize that there are no explicit regulations dictating the timeline for judges transitioning to political roles.
The Supreme Court had previously dismissed a plea in 2023 seeking to establish a two-year “cooling-off period” before outgoing judges could engage in political activities. The Court maintained that such matters should be left to the discretion of the judges themselves, declining to intervene on whether former judges could pursue political office or nominations to the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha.
