DY Chandrachud retired as Chief Justice of India earlier this month. (file)
New Delhi:
When asked whether retired judges should participate in politics, former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said that society continues to regard retired judges as guardians of the law and that their lifestyles are not important to society. It must be consistent with the confidence that people have in the justice system, he said.
When asked if he had any intention of joining politics himself, he declared that he would not do anything that would call into question his work or the integrity of the justice system after he turns 65.
“Even if you leave your job, society continues to see you as a judge. Therefore, even if society expects that it is okay for a judge to do something that is okay for other citizens, Even if the judge leaves office,” he said on NDTV’s Samvidhan@75 conclave.
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Justice Chandrachud, who retired earlier this month after two years as the country’s top judge, clarified that he was not criticizing judges who have joined politics in the past.
“It is up to all judges to decide whether the decisions they make after retirement will affect how people evaluate their work as judges. “What kind of perception was there among people in society about the extent to which his judicial work was influenced by the politics to which he adapted?” he added.
He acknowledged the role the judiciary has played in his career, saying, “No matter what former judges do, their actions and personal lifestyles reflect the trust society has in their institutions.” It has to be consistent with that.”
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He said that while judges are private citizens and have the same rights as other citizens, society expects higher standards of conduct from judges. “There has to be some consensus within the judiciary about what is acceptable and what is not, and that consensus has not yet developed,” he added.
He also suggested that current judges may discuss what is most appropriate for former and retired judges to do.
