Justice DY Chandrachud Bids Adieu To CJI Chair: 'If I Have Hurt Anyone In Court, Please Forgive Me'

On his final day as Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud addressed the ceremonial bench, acknowledging that he would no longer serve as the nation's top judge.

"I won't be able to deliver justice from tomorrow, but I am content," he remarked.

Photo Credit: PTI

Chief Justice Chandrachud, who took office on 9 November 2022, bid farewell today as his two-year term concluded.

Recalling a humorous exchange with his registrar judicial the night before, he shared, "When my registrar judicial asked me what time the ceremonial should begin, I said 2 pm, thinking it would allow us to wrap up a lot of pending items. But I wondered to myself - will anyone actually be here at 2 pm on a Friday afternoon? Or will I just be left looking at myself on the screen?"

Reflecting on his career, he likened the role of judges to pilgrims, coming to court each day with dedication to serve.

"The work we do can make or break cases," he noted.

He paid tribute to the "great judges who have adorned this court and passed on the baton," expressing confidence in leaving the bench in the hands of Justice Sanjiv Khanna, whom he described as a capable leader.

"If I have ever hurt anyone in the court, please forgive me for that," he said, quoting the Jain phrase "Michhami Dukkadam," which translates to "May all my misdeeds be forgiven."

Lawyers and bar members gathered to honour the departing Chief Justice, referring to him as "a rock star" of the judiciary.

Justice Sanjiv Khanna, soon to be sworn in as the 51st Chief Justice of India on 11 November, commented, "I never had the chance to appear in Justice Chandrachud's court, but what he has done for the marginalised and the needy is beyond compare."

He added a light-hearted note on Justice Chandrachud's love for samosas, mentioning they were served in nearly every meeting, although the Chief Justice himself avoided eating them.

Justice Chandrachud's tenure brought several changes within the court, including the establishment of Mitti Cafe, a facility supporting individuals with disabilities, a dedicated bar room for women lawyers, and other beautification projects for the Supreme Court premises.

In his two-year term, Justice Chandrachud delivered several landmark rulings.

Most notably, he presided over the Constitution Bench upholding the revocation of Article 370, reshaping Jammu and Kashmir's political landscape and mandating that elections be held by September 2024, emphasising that statehood should be restored "at the earliest and as soon as possible."

In another significant judgment, Justice Chandrachud declined to amend the Special Marriage Act to recognise same-sex marriages, leaving it to the legislature, yet he underscored the right of the LGBTQ+ community to dignity and freedom from discrimination.

Justice Chandrachud also led the move to dismantle the contentious electoral bonds scheme, ordering greater transparency in political financing and directing the State Bank of India to cease issuing electoral bonds.