FormerChief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi will take oath as Rajya Sabha member onThursday. The Rajya Sabha sources said he will take oath at 11 am on Thursday.

The former CJI was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by President Ram Nath Kovind on March 16 and he had faced all-round criticism for that with fellow judges using hard words for lowering the dignity of the Judiciary.

But Mr Gogoi remained defiant. He flew to New Delhi today. Mr Gogoi (65) retired as Chief Justice of India in November last year after a tenure of a little over 13 months. He will be the first former Chief Justice of India to be nominated to Rajya Sabha. 

The vacancy was created due to the retirement of KTS Tulsi.

MrGogoi, who headed benches that pronounced several key judgements including inthe sensitive Ayodhya land dispute case, was on Monday nominated to Rajya Sabhaby the government. Mr Gogoi also led the benches that ruled on Rafale fighterjet deal and entry of women in Sabarimala temple.

Therewas a chorus of protest against his nomination as RS member and in fact a PILwas also filed before the Supreme Court asking the Court to stop Mr gogoi fromtaking the oath.