13 Nov 2017-The Hindu Editorial -Vocabulary

 The turmoil will end only with a full, fair probe into the alleged plot to influence judges

There is absolutely no doubt that the Chief Justice of India is the master of the roster. So, it is impossible to dispute the legal reasoning behind Chief Justice Dipak Misra’s ruling that no one but he can decide the composition of Benches and allocation of judicial work in the Supreme Court. However, the circumstances in which he had to assert this authority have the potential to greatly diminish the court’s lustre. The scenes witnessed in the court amidst troubling allegations of possible judicial corruption are worrisome for their capacity to undermine the high esteem that the judiciary enjoys. Chief Justice Misra chose to stick to the letter of the law, but there remain troublesome questions about potential conflict of interest in his decision to overrule Justice J. Chelameswar’s extremely unusual order that delineated the composition of a Constitution Bench to hear a writ petition seeking a fair probe into the corruption allegations. It is a fact that in the Prasad Education Trust case, the petitions alleging that some individuals, including a retired Orissa High Court judge, were plotting to influence the Supreme Court, had been heard by a Bench headed by Chief Justice Misra. However, it would be perverse and irresponsible to attribute corrupt motives without compelling evidence. At the same time, by heading the Bench himself, the Chief Justice may have contributed to the perception that he will preside over a hearing in his own cause, rather than leaving it to another set of judges to reiterate the legal position on who has the sole say in deciding the roster.

Justice Chelameswar, the senior-most puisne  judge, may have passed his order based on the petitioner’s claim that there would be a conflict of interest were the Chief Justice to choose the Bench. But in doing so, he chose to ignore the principle that allocation of judicial work is the preserve of the Chief Justice. Both justices may have found themselves in a situation in which law and strict propriety do not converge. As for the lawyer-activists involved, it is one thing to flag corruption, another to foster the impression that they want to choose the judges who will hear them. The only way to end the current turmoil in the judicial and legal fraternity is to ensure that the Central Bureau of Investigation holds an impartial probe in the case registered by it. The involvement of serving judges may only be a remote possibility, but it is vital to find out whether the suspected middlemen had any access to them. Unfortunate fallout of the controversy is the perception of a rift among the country’s top judges. To some, the charges may represent an attempt to undermine the judiciary. These perceptions should not result in the sidestepping of the real issue raised by the CBI’s FIR: the grim possibility of the judiciary being susceptible to corruption. Tumult and turmoil should not overshadow this substantive issue.

 

1. TURMOIL < TR /MO /IL>

 [Noun]

 Meaningà                   A state of great disturbance, confusion, or uncertainty.

 Synà                           Confusion ,Upheaval(s) ,Turbulence ,Disorder ,Commotion  

 Exampleà                    "The country was in turmoil"

Antonymsà                                Calm  ,Composure, Contentment , Happiness

 2. ROSTER / <  ROS /TR>

 [Noun]

Meaningà              A list or plan showing turns of duty or leave for individuals or groups in an    organization.

  Synà                      Listing ,Register ,Agenda , Roll, Table

Antonymà             "Division, separation"

Exampleà              “Next week's duty roster" 

3. REITERATE < REE /T /RATED >

 [Verb]

Meaningà                  Say something again or a number of times, typically for emphasis or clarity.

 Synà                          Repeat ,Say again ,Restate ,Recapitulate ,iterate

Antonymsà         Take back

Exampleà               "She reiterated that the government would remain steadfast in its support"

4 PUISNE  .< PU /EE /SN>

 [Adjective]

 Meaningà                    (In the UK and some other countries) denoting a judge of a superior court inferior in rank to chief justices.

 Synà                                Inferior judge

 Exampleà               ‘Puisne  judge’                 

5. FOSTER < FOS /TR>

 [Verb]

 Meaning à                   Encourage the development of (something, especially something desirable).

 Synà                                   Promote ,Advance ,Stimulate ,Cultivate , Nurture

 Antonymsà                 Discourage, Frustrate, Hinder, Inhibit                 

Exampleà                      "the teacher's task is to foster learning"

                 

 6. SIDESTEPPING < SIDE /STEP /PING >

 [Verb] = Gerund past participle –sidestepping

 Meaning à                 Avoid (someone or something) by stepping sideways.

 Synà                                 Avoid ,Evade ,Dodge ,Escape ,Circumvent ,Skirt-  around

 Exampleà                    "The sidestepped a defender and crossed the ball"

Antonymsà           Face ,Meet ,Take On

                 

7. GRIM < GREE /M >

[Adjective]

 Meaningà                         Very serious or gloomy.

Exampleà               "His grim expression"

 Synà                       Forbidding ,Aloof , Distant, Stern, Uninviting           

 Antonymà                        Bright ,Encouraging ,Cheerful  

       

 8. SUSCEPTIBLE < S /SEP/ TEE /BL>

[Adjective]

Meaning à             Likely or liable to be influenced or harmed by a particular thing.

Synà                        Open to ,receptive to ,vulnerable to ,defenceless against, an easy target for.

Antonymsà           Insensitive ,unlikely ,unresponsive ,resistant

Exampleà           “Patients with liver disease may be susceptible to infection"

9. OVERSHADOW <OVER /SHA /DOW >

[Verb]

Meaningà                    Appear more prominent or important than.

Synà                                  Obliterate, Eclipse, Screen, Shroud, Veil,

Exampleà                     "His competitive nature often overshadows the other qualities"

Antonymà                    Clear ,explain ,brighten

10. SUBSTANTIVE  <SB /STAN / TIV / >

[Adjective]

Meaningà              Having a firm basis in reality and so important, meaningful, or considerable.

Exampleà               "There is no substantive evidence for the efficacy of these drugs"

Synà                                    Actual , real , categorical ,certain ,concrete

Antonym à                        Inconsequential, inconsiderable, insignificant,