Chief Justice Chandrachud Talks Independence, Minimal Political Pressure in Judiciary

Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud shared insights on his experiences in the judiciary during a session at the Oxford Union. He emphasized that he has never faced political pressure from the government and highlighted the need for more judges due to the low judge-to-population ratio in India.

In a candid discussion at the Oxford Union, Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud emphasized that he has never faced political pressure from any government during his 24-year tenure as a judge. He attributed this to the strong democratic traditions and judicial independence upheld in India.

Chandrachud elaborated that judges in India are trained to resolve disputes based on constitutional principles and not momentary passions. He also highlighted the importance of being aware of the societal and political impact of their judgments.

Acknowledging the issue of pendency, he pointed out the urgency for increasing the number of judges in India, describing the judge-to-population ratio as one of the lowest globally. He also discussed the influence of social media on the judiciary, noting the real-time scrutiny judges face and the necessity of accepting both fair and unfair criticism.