NEW DELHI: Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on Friday said that he is probably “one of the most trolled judges across the system”. “I hope you know that amount of trolling I have received. I am probably the most trolled judge across the system. I will only say a shayari: ‘
Mukhalif se meri shaksiyat sawarti hai, main dushmano ka bada ahteram karta hun (
Adversary improves my personality, I have great respect for my enemies)’,” CJI said.
“On lighter vein, I am wondering what will happen from Monday. All those who trolled me will be rendered unemployed!” he said.
The CJI was speaking at the farewell function organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) in his honour. Justice Chandrachud is set to retire as CJI and will demit office on November 10. However, today was his last official working day in the court.
The farewell function in honour of Hon’ble Dr. Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, Chief Justice of India
Addressing the bar association, the 50th head of the Indian judiciary remarked, “I just want to tell you that some of the changes that we have made are in pursuance of my strong belief that sunlight is the best disinfectant. I know that in so many ways I’ve exposed my personal life to public knowledge, and when you expose your personal life to public knowledge, you expose yourself to criticism, particularly in today’s age of social media. But so be it, my shoulders are broad enough to accept all the criticism that we have faced.”
The outgoing-CJI also recounted a conversation with his father YV Chandrachud, who has also served as Chief Justice of India, saying, “He (my father) bought this small flat in Pune. I asked him, why on Earth are you buying a flat in Pune? When are we going to go and stay there? He said, I know I’m never going to stay there. He said I’m not sure how long I will be with you. But do one thing, keep this flat until the last day of your tenure as a judge. I said, why is that? He said, if you feel that your moral integrity or your intellectual integrity is ever compromised, I want you to know that you have a roof over your head. Never allow yourself to be compromised either as a lawyer or as a judge because you have no place of your own.”
CJI also acknowledged that judges have their own limitations in addressing every case of injustice presented before them in court. “In the court you realize that you can’t cure every injustice which comes into your plate every day as a judge. Some injustices are within the realm of the rule of law, others are beyond what the rule of law can lead a judge to a solution,” CJI said.
Justices BR Gavai, PK Mishra, CT Ravikumar, MM Sundresh, Manoj Misra, SVN Bhatti, PS Narasimha, Sandeep Mehta, Dipankar Datta, KV Viswanathan were present at the event, apart from attorney general R Venkataramani and solicitor general Tushar Mehta, and senior counsel Kapil Sibal.
Senior counsel Kapil Sibal had all the praise for CJI Chandrachud and called him “one of the greatest judges”. “His attributes are all attributes of one of the greatest judges of the country. I had privilege of arguing before his father. He was CJI was 7 years and 14 days. CJI Chandrachud had to match up with his father. I’d say you outpaced him,” Sibal remarked.
SCBA vice president Rachana Srivastava, while giving welcome address, referred to the outgoing-CJI as the “most remarkable and visionary jurist in the history of Indian judiciary”. ” Justice Chandrachud’s tenure has been marked by his deep commitment to the Constitution and his unyielding belief in the rule of law…His judgments have redefined the relationship between state and individual with an eye towards justice,” Srivastava said.