Chief Justice Chandrachud ahead of retirement: How will history judge my tenure

DY Chandrachud, the 50th Chief Justice of India, assumed office on November 9, 2022. He is set to retire on November 8 after a two-year tenure.

In Short

• CJI Chandrachud reflects on his legacy as retirement nears
• He questions achievements, historical judgement of his tenure
• Acknowledges limited control over answers to his concerns

Chief Justice of India (CJI), DY Chandrachud, who is set to retire on November 8, reflected on his two-year tenure, saying that his mind has been preoccupied with questions about his legacy that he would leave behind for the future generation of judges and legal professionals.

Speaking at the convocation ceremony of the JSW Law School in Bhutan, the Chief Justice said, "As my tenure is coming to an end, my mind has been heavily preoccupied with fears and anxieties about the future and the past."

"Did I achieve everything I set out to do? How will history judge my tenure? Could I have done things differently? What legacy will I leave for future generations of judges and legal professionals?" he said.

The Chief Justice, who assumed office on November 9, 2022, acknowledged that answers to most of these questions were beyond his control and may not find it all.

"However, I do know that, over the last two years, I have woken up every morning with a commitment to give the job my fullest and gone to bed with the satisfaction that I have served my country with the utmost dedication. It is in this that I seek solace."

At the convocation ceremony, which was attended by Bhutan Princess Sonam Dechan Wangchuck and the country's Chief Justice Lyonpo Chogyal Dago Rigdzin, CJI Chandrachud advised the graduates to "combine the passion and idealism of youth with the sophistication and expertise of their training", reports said.

"There is often a misconceived perception that the traditional values of our communities are antithetical to modern democratic ideas such as liberty, equality and dissent," he was quoted as saying.

The CJI further said that nations like India and Bhutan often find themselves at crossroads with diverse influences, particularly from the West.

"However, nations located in unique historical, social, and cultural contexts, such as ours, must constantly challenge the assumption that these values and principles are universal or always contain the correct answer.

"The conventional Western definition of 'human rights', which tends to prioritise the individual over the community, while well-intentioned, fails to account for the diverse perspectives and cultural nuances that shape our understanding of justice," he asserted.

(With inputs from PTI)