India, Oct. 11 -- The Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant has declined a request by Opposition leaders to meet him on Monday, citing extensive reasons why such an interaction would not be appropriate at this juncture and in the present circumstances, dealing a setback to the Opposition's plan to seek his intervention over the crackdown on a youth-led protest in Delhi and alleged irregularities in electoral processes.

Among the key reasons cited were the pendency of related matters before the Supreme Court in its judicial capacity and the CJI's own adjudicatory role in petitions concerning these issues, people aware of the matter said.

The decision came hours after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the...