The All India Farmer Association has written a letter, dated October 14, to the Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi, requesting that the newly constituted Constitution Bench, headed by Justice Arun Mishra, may not hear the matters regarding the interpretation of Section 24(2) of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (RFCTLARR Act).
Through their President, the Association has requested that Justice Mishra may not head the bench as he has already expressed his views about the issue in the 2018 decision by doubting the correctness of 2014 decision. One of the five matters before the constitution bench was referred by J Madan Lokur, who was part of the 2014 judgment, after he stated that he did not agree with the 2018 judgment. Citing this as a reason, along with the principle that justice must not only be done but seem to be done, the Association has prayed that Justice Mishra should not hear the matter.