Judiciary's independence not necessarily against government always: Justice Chandrachud

Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, set to retire on November 10, emphasized that judicial independence should not be equated with ruling against the government in every instance. Speaking at an event in New Delhi, he stated that true judicial autonomy means basing decisions on law and justice, not merely opposing governmental positions.

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Referring to his own record, CJI Chandrachud noted that rulings, such as the one invalidating the electoral bonds scheme, were seen as evidence of independence. However, he argued that impartiality should not be assessed solely on whether verdicts favor or oppose the government. Independence, he said, has broader implications beyond resisting executive influence; it also means not yielding to pressure from societal forces, including interest groups and the growing influence of social media campaigns aimed at influencing judicial outcomes.

In February, the Supreme Court, under CJI Chandrachud’s leadership, struck down the controversial electoral bonds scheme, calling it unconstitutional. This ruling addressed concerns over transparency in political funding, an issue that has been contentious since the scheme's 2018 launch. Chandrachud's remarks underscored his view that judicial independence is about upholding justice above all, irrespective of public or governmental expectations.