Former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi’s term as a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha ended on 17 March 2026, marking the conclusion of his six-year tenure in the Upper House. Gogoi, who joined the Rajya Sabha four months after retiring from the Supreme Court, completed his parliamentary service with a record of limited legislative engagement and participation.According to The Indian Express, Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice-President of India C P Radhakrishnan commended Gogoi as a distinguished jurist, highlighting his "unparalleled legal acumen" and "gravitas" during House discussions. The chairman noted that Gogoi’s "wise counsel" and "measured interventions" would be missed by the House.Data compiled by PRS Legislative Research and cited in the same report showed that Gogoi’s overall parliamentary attendance was 53 per cent, significantly below the national average of 80 per cent for parliamentarians. Further analysis indicated that he asked zero questions, introduced no private member’s bills, and participated in only one debate during his tenure, compared to national averages of 270.2 questions, 1.3 bills, and 156.1 debates respectively.Gogoi’s only parliamentary speech occurred in August 2023, when he spoke in favour of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill. During this speech, he questioned the basic structure doctrine, describing it as having a "very debatable jurisprudential basis." This remark contrasted with his own previous Supreme Court judgments upholding the doctrine. "I am not a professional politician who needs to make a mark for career advancement," Gogoi stated in a later interview, explaining his approach to parliamentary participation.His nomination to the Rajya Sabha in March 2020, just months after retiring as Chief Justice, was only the second such instance in Indian history. The first was Justice Ranganath Misra, who joined the Upper House in 1998, seven years after his Supreme Court retirement. Coverage revealed that Gogoi defended his acceptance of the nomination as a "call for service" and an opportunity to contribute his expertise in law and judiciary to Parliament.Gogoi attributed his low attendance to Covid-19 restrictions, discomfort with seating arrangements, and frequent House disruptions. He emphasised that, as a nominated member, he was not bound by any party whip and attended sessions at his discretion. Statements indicated that he preferred to make "alternative contributions," such as addressing foreign delegations and law enforcement agencies on constitutional matters, and using his parliamentary salary to fund scholarships for law students.During his tenure, Gogoi served on several parliamentary committees, including the Committee for Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, the Committee on External Affairs, the Committee on Communications and Information Technology, and the Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Law and Justice. He was also a member of the India-Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Group as details emerged from official records.Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.