CJI Chandrachud retires: A look at his landmark verdicts
D.Y. Chandrachud, officially retires on November 10, after having served a long tenure that encompassed substantial judicial reforms and historic verdicts.
Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud will officially step down on Sunday. Justice Sanjiv Khanna, the Supreme Court's senior most judge, will succeed him.
After a lengthy career as a lawyer and a judge, the head of the nation's judiciary, Justice Chandrachud, had his final day in court on Friday. During his tenure in Supreme Court, he pronounced several significant decisions. Here's a look at some of his important verdicts.
*On August 24, 2017, the Supreme Court of India unanimously ruled in a historic decision that the right to privacy is guaranteed by the Constitution as a basic right. Justice Chandrachud, who wrote the majority ruling, stressed the importance of privacy for people's autonomy and sense of dignity in a democracy.
*The Supreme Court of India struck down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code on September 6, 2018, decriminalizing consensual same-sex relationships. A five-judge panel decided that sexual orientation is an inherent component of human dignity, with Justice Chandrachud providing a concurring judgment.
*Section 497 of the IPC, which criminalised adultery but solely punished males, was overturned by the Supreme Court on September 27, 2018. In his decision, Justice Chandrachud ruled that the statute was unconstitutional, citing violations of personal liberty and gender equality.
*Citing infractions of safety and building standards, the Supreme Court ordered the destruction of Supertech's twin buildings in Noida on August 31, 2021. To maintain government integrity and guarantee public safety, Justice Chandrachud stressed the significance of enforcing building rules.
*In a power dispute with the Lieutenant Governor, the Supreme Court decided on May 11, 2023, that the Delhi government is in charge of all administrative functions, except those about land and law enforcement. By upholding elected representatives' control over Delhi's government, Justice Chandrachud's ruling strengthened democratic governance.
*In the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute, he authored the unanimous 2019 ruling that resolved the contentious matter that had lasted for over a century and cleared the path for the temple's construction. At the time, Ranjan Gogoi was the chief justice and chairman of the five-judge panel.
Farewell speech
In his parting speech, Justice Chandrachud praised his successor, Justice Sanjiv Khanna, as a capable and responsible leader who will carry on the task of fortifying India's judicial system. "There is not going to be any difference when I leave this court because a person as stable as Justice Khanna will take over," he stated.
Justice Chandrachud's influence would certainly last long after he retires since his rulings will likely continue to shape Indian law in the years to come.
He practised law at the Supreme Court and the Bombay High Court and was a visiting professor of comparative constitutional law at the University of Mumbai.
With inputs from PTI