Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on Sunday defended his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence for Ganesh Puja, amid opposition criticism.
Speaking at the Loksatta annual lecture in New Delhi, Justice Chandrachud said that there is "enough maturity" among judges and government heads to keep judicial matters separate from discussions.
"People think there are deals being made, but that is not the case," he said. "This is part of the robust dialogue between different arms of the government. The work of all three arms is dedicated to the betterment of the nation."
The outgoing Chief Justice further said, "We know our duties in the democratic system of governance, and the political executives know theirs. No judge, least of them the Chief Justice of India or Chief Justices, can even remotely invite any threat, actual or perceived, to the independence of the judiciary."
Justice Chandrachud also stressed on the importance of meetings between Chief Justices and Chief Ministers. He pointed to the importance of addressing judicial infrastructure, including new court buildings and accommodations for judges. "For this, you need to meet the Chief Justice and the Chief Minister," he said, recalling his experiences as Chief Justice in various High Courts.
"We have to understand that the work of all three arms is dedicated to one and the same goal - the betterment of the nation. So long as we trust this process, I think we must accept that there has to be continuing dialogue," he stated.
He also mentioned that judges sometimes meet political leaders at social gatherings but never discuss their judicial work in those contexts.
Row Over Modi’s Visit To CJI's Residence
Visuals of the Prime Minister visiting the Chief Justice's residence and participating in the Ganesh Puja had sparked a huge political row, with some members of the Opposition claiming that such events raise suspicions.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said that after this visit, it is doubtful if there will be justice in the Sena vs Sena case as the Prime Minister is the other party in that matter.
Raut said that "if a custodian of the Constitution meets politicians, it can create doubt in the minds of people".
The Sena UBT leader said that the CJI should distance himself from their case as his relation with another political party is "openly visible". "Will CJI Chandrachud be able to give us justice in such a situation?" he asked.
Meanwhile, AAP leader Sanjay Singh had accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of using puja for political gains and said that the party had made its motives clear.
Netizens on social media also condemned the visit by the PM and said that "In a functioning democracy, Executive and Judiciary are supposed to maintain distance."
However, the BJP in its rebuttal had said that "the executive and judiciary praying before Gods revered by crores of devotees across India reflects the real strength of Indian secularism. Deal with it."
The party had hit back at the opposition and asked that how come the guts of those who encourage Prime Ministers' presence at Iftars are twisting and turning at seeing PM Modi perform Ganpati Puja at CJI Chandrachud's residence.
