Importance of being No. 2: Sharad Bobde to sail an uncharted course

The second seniormost judge who heads the panel to probe sexual harassment charges against the Chief Justice will bear responsibility for setting the standards and procedures in this unique case

In a speech last year, Supreme Court Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde recalled the words of Gandhari in Mahabharata: “May the righteous one win." This, the judge said, was one of the earliest statements of the Rule of Law. It is also the motto of the Supreme Court.
 
Bobde, 63, who has been chosen by the full court of 25 judges to deal with the sexual harassment complaint against Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, would need divine help to create harmony out of the chaos that has erupted last week. The first salvo has already been fired by women’s groups. The