Will protect citizens in every aspect: New CJI DY Chandrachud

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 9

Justice DY Chandrachud, the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court, was on Wednesday sworn in as the 50th Chief Justice of India.

The new CJI began his first day in office by garlanding the Mahatma Gandhi statue on the Supreme Court premises and stressed that he would protect all Indians, and that serving the nation was his priority. “Be it in technology or be it in the registry... or be it in judicial reforms, I will take care of citizens in every aspect,” he told reporters.

Be it in technology or be it in the registry... or be it in judicial reforms, I will take care of citizens in every aspect. -- CJI DY Chandrachud

President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office to Justice Chandrachud at a brief ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan at 10 am. Justice Chandrachud succeeds Justice UU Lalit, who retired on November 8 after a 74-day stint. He had recommended Justice Chandrachud as his successor last month.

The swearing-in ceremony was attended by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, outgoing CJI Lalit, sitting and former judges of the Supreme Court, Union ministers, senior lawyers and various other dignitaries from the fields of law and politics.

Due to the swearing-in ceremony, proceedings commenced at 12 pm, instead of usual 10.30 am. “Apologies for keeping the members of the Bar waiting for so long. I will try to make it a no-stress court for everyone,” the CJI told members of the Bar who congratulated him on his elevation.

Born on November 11, 1959, he was elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court on May 13, 2016. Justice Chandrachud will have a two-year tenure as the CJI. His father Justice YV Chandrachud was the 16th CJI during 1978-85. This is the first time in the history of Indian judiciary that both father and son have become CJI. Considered to be a liberal and progressive judge, Justice Chandrachud has been part of several landmark verdicts of the Supreme Court, including those on the Ayodhya land dispute, right to privacy and adultery. Recently, he authored a judgment that made marital rape a ground for abortion.

The top court had on November 2 dismissed a petition seeking to restrain Justice Chandrachud from taking oath as the 50th CJI, saying it was a “completely misconceived” petition.

Justice Chandrachud earlier served as the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court from October 31, 2013. He was a judge of the Bombay High Court from March 29, 2000, until his appointment as the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court. He was designated as a senior advocate by the Bombay High Court in June 1998 and became an Additional Solicitor General the same year till his appointment as a judge.

After completing BA (Honours) in Economics from St Stephen’s College, University of Delhi, Justice Chandrachud did his LL.B from Campus Law Centre, University of Delhi, and obtained an LLM degree and a Doctorate in Juridical Sciences from Harvard Law School in the US.

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