Now that the 'most qualified person' in the movement has acceded to the persistent requests of several pensioners, to 'directly approach' the Hon'ble Chief Justice of India, and he obliged with an exhaustive Petition so eloquently urging for the CJ's intervention to bring closure to these cases of ours, it is time for all concerned, particularly all those who are spearheading the Pensioners' cases in different courts, to prepare mentally and physically and answer the question:
If one may attempt to visualize the outcome of Shri RB Kishore's Petition to CJ, the best scenario one can hope for would be that the Hon'ble Chief Justice, in exercise of his inherent powers, extraordinary jurisdiction and benevolent discretion, would direct the SC Registry to treat Shri RBK's Petition dated 12/04/2014 as a regular Application filed before the Supreme Court and further direct that it be posted before his own or any other Brother Justice's Bench for its 'consideration' and 'disposal'. There should be no dispute to 'visualize' the possible outcome of the Petition accordingly and in my view, one cannot ask for more.
Assuming Shri RBK's prayer is heard and LIC Pensioners are lucky to reach that stage, the situation is something equal to the Supreme Court having before it an Application for 'early (immediate/out of turn) disposal' of the Civil Appeals (SLPs earlier) filed by LIC against the Jaipur Judgement dated 12/01/2010 and the two subsequent judgments of Delhi & Chandigarh High Courts.
Now let's come to the real world.
Notices were served by the Supreme Court about the Civil Appeals, on ALL the Respondents (Mr Asthana was good enough to share with me the Notice dated 20/02/2014 received by him in respect of the Jaipur Judgement). Similar Notices were also reportedly received by the Respondents in LIC's CAs against Delhi & Chandigarh Judgments.
CA No 8959 - 62 against Jaipur Judgement dated 12.01.2010 (next date of listing 12/08/2014) runs in to 478 pages and calls for a Reply/Counter Affidavit to be filed. Mr KML, I know, is in the process of taking further steps. It is a very very elaborate exercise. Same is the case, I think with the Respondents in respect of the other two Judgments also.
In this background, one cannot expect any early 'disposal' of the Civil Appeals even before the Counter Affidavits are filed by us. It is not at all my intention to make light of the purpose of the Petition to CJ. I am only alerting the Respondents in all the three sets of CAs to appropriately reschedule their priorities and comply with the Notices received in LIC's Civil Appeals, well in time. I am aware it is a daunting task.
Personally I am tempted to look at the piquant situation as a potential challenge to be converted in to an opportunity.
Will elaborate my views on that separately.
Thanks and regards,
M. Sreenivasa Murty
HYDERABAD 500090
+919177737356