With the retirement date of the current Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrchud approaching near, his every word seems to be directed at deepening the wounds of the leftist Islamist cabal for whom DY Chandrachud was once the star of their eyes.
The Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, who will step down from office on the 10th of November while speaking at an event organized by the Indian Express on the 4th of November emphasized the true meaning of judicial independence. He addressed the misconception that judicial independence only manifests when judgments favor the public or oppose the government.
Citing his recent ruling against the electoral bonds scheme, which the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional, he noted that he was labeled “very independent” for that decision. By contrast, his judicial independence was often questioned when verdicts favored the government. “When you decide electoral bonds, then you are very independent, but if a verdict goes in favor of the government, then you are not independent… That is not my definition of independence,” he stated.
CJI Chandrachud’s remarks underscore the critical balance between fear and favor. Chief Justice Chandrachud asserted that the phrase “Independence of Judiciary” does not translate to delivering verdicts against the government. He also stressed upon the role of social media and the pressure groups which cry hoarse if the judicial verdict does not turn in their favor.
Chief Justice highlighted the fact that traditionally the definition of judicial independence was limited to independence from executive influence but the definition has changed over time. In contemporary times with the emergence of social media and pressure groups, Judicial independence along with independence from the executive also means independence from “pressure groups’ that attempt to sway judicial outcomes through public opinion. Well, it’s not tough to understand which particular cabal the Chief Justice of India was taking shots at.
In recent days, the Leftist Islamist cabal has come behind CJI Chandrachud for not delivering their favorable judgements in cases involving Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. The cabal who saw CJI Chandrachud as their messiah after the verdict of electoral bonds, fumed with anger for denying bail to the two Islamists. And therefore, the cabal made up their mind to target CJI Chandrachud, questioning his independence and accusing him of paying lip service to the BJP government at the center.
On October 20th, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud addressed the residents of Kanhersar village in Maharashtra, revealing that he sought divine guidance during the resolution of the Ram Janmabhoomi dispute. Reflecting on the challenges faced during the prolonged legal proceedings, he stated, “Very often, we have cases (to adjudicate) but don’t arrive at a solution. Something similar happened during the Ayodhya dispute, which was in front of me for three months. I sat before the deity and told him he needs to find a solution. Believe me, if you have faith, God will always find a way.”
This statement of the CJI ignited fire within a specific cabal even though CJI was well within the rights granted by Article 25 of the Constitution, which provides every citizen of this country the freedom of religion. Some questioned the integrity of his past judgements with some labeling him another closet Sanghi. There were also few who unleashed scathing abuses upon the CJI.
11th of September marked the similar rise of entropy at the same cabal when Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the Ganpati Puja celebrations at the residence of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud in New Delhi and performed aarti to Bhagwan Ganesh with CJI alongside.
Responding to these incidents and their criticisms, CJI gave a befitting reply to the ecosystem at the Indian Express event on 4th November. Responding to the question regarding the Prime Minister’s visit to his house, CJI firmly asserted that there is “nothing wrong” with such interactions. He emphasized the importance of dialogue between institutions, clarifying that the separation of powers does not imply that the judiciary and executive cannot engage. He mentioned categorically that the meetings of the executive and judiciary often focus on essential administrative matters like budget and infrastructure, rather than judicial cases.
DY Chandrachud stated “Regarding the Prime Minister’s visit to my home for a purely private event, I firmly believe there was nothing inappropriate about it. Such gatherings represent ongoing interactions between the judiciary and the executive, even on a social level. We regularly meet at the Rashtrapati Bhavan during significant occasions like Republic Day or Independence Day, when a new Chief Justice is appointed or an outgoing one departs, or during visits from foreign heads of state. In these instances, we engage in discussions with the Prime Minister, Ministers, the President, and the Vice President.
“These conversations focus on broader societal issues and do not pertain to the cases we adjudicate. It is essential for the political system to demonstrate maturity in recognizing this and to have confidence in our judgments. Ultimately, our work is assessed through our written decisions, and everything we decide is transparent and subject to scrutiny, unlike in many other systems” he further added
Moreover the CJI did not give a free pass to the cabal regarding the baseless criticism of his speech he gave at Kanhersar village in Maharashtra. CJI said that one must understand the backdrop of where he was speaking. He was speaking in a village which is predominantly an agricultural community and a question was raised in front of him regarding how he maintains his composure amidst the conflicts that arise in the courtroom and he gave his answer in respect to the question asked.
CJI Chandrachud articulated that everyone has their own mantra of finding calm, and for him, it includes taking time for self-reflection. He made it clear that acknowledging his faith does not influence his impartiality in delivering justice. He reaffirmed that every case which comes to the judiciary is resolved solely based on the law and the Constitution, asserting that a person’s faith, if it provides clarity and calmness, should be accepted without prejudice.
Also when Vandita Mishra and Apurva Vishwanath of the Indian Express possed a question before the CJI regarding the delay in providing bail to the likes of Stan Swamy, GN Saibaba and Umar Khalid, the CJI answered ” For the one or two cases that were mentioned, I could mention at least a dozen politically sensitive cases where bail was granted over the last several months. Very often, the media creates certain “atmospherics” of a case, which are far removed from the actual case. When a judge applies their mind to the record, what emerges may be different from what is portrayed in the media on the merits of that case,”. The answer was enough to give an insight regarding the seriousness of the cases the likes of Stan Swamy, GN Saibaba and Umar Khalid was involved in.
The responses thrown by the current Chief Justice at the cabal will be as effective as a pinch of salt on a wound. There are two things to be sure of, the cabal must not have understood the point the CJI tried to make as the responses must have overflowed their intellectual capacity and also CJI Chandrachud will no longer be seen as the messiah by a particular cabal !!