Should Judges Enter Politics After Retirement?: Here’s What Former CJI Chandrachud Said

New Delhi: Former Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, on Sunday said that society continues to view retired judges as integral members of the judiciary, adding that judges have to walk a tightrope as as they are not viewed in the bracket of common citizens by the public.

Former CJI Chandrachud, whose two-year tenure ended on November 10, said that retired judges must exercise caution and consider whether their actions can affect the public.

Is it Right to Enter Politics For Retired Judges? Here’s What Ex-CJI Chandrachud Said

"Society continues to look at you as a judge even after retirement, therefore, things which are alright for other citizens to do would not be alright for judges to do even when they demit office,” Chandrachud said. 

"Primarily it is for every judge to take a call on whether a decision which he takes after retirement will have a bearing on people who assess the work which he did as a judge," he added.

At his farewell ceremony organized by the SC Bar Association earlier this month, DY Chandrachud, who is known for his landmark judgments and eloquent speeches mixed with a poetic twist, was at his poetic best when he responded to his trolls by quoting Urdu poet Bashir Badr. 

Quoting the famous Urdu poet, the former CJI trolled the trollers in his unique style, saying, “Mukhalfat se meri shakhsiyat sanwarti hai, main dushmano ka bada ehtiraam karta hun (Opposition improves my personality, I respect my enemies a lot).”

The house burst into laughter when he said, “I am probably the most trolled judge across the system."

Justice Chandrachud, the 50th CJI, assumed office on November 9, 2022, following in the footsteps of his father, YV Chandrachud, who served as the longest-serving Chief Justice from 1978 to 1985.

Justice Sanjiv Khanna was sworn in as the 51st Chief Justice of India on November 11 in a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan.