'Despite emphasis on bail being the rule, message hasn't reached district judiciary'

{DHANANJAYA Y CHANDRACHUD} CHIEF JUSTICE OF INDIA

- Utkarsh Anand

A day before his retirement, Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, in a candid conversation with Utkarsh Anand, reflects on his tenure and vision for India's judiciary, outlining critical principles on independence, judicial appointments, and the role of the courts in upholding liberty. Edited excerpts:

How has being the Chief Justice of India changed you, personally and professionally? What have been the most rewarding and challenging aspects?

The role has offered deeply rewarding experiences. On the judicial side, the opportunity to address critical societal issues and write judgments that influence both the present and future stands out. Deciding key constitutional cases allows me to contribute to societal transformation. Administratively, I have seen projects come to fruition, like the Supreme Court's data centre and the free digital repository of judgments accessible to citizens. Translation of SC judgments into Indian languages has inspired high courts to follow suit, enhancing judicial outreach.

I think the greatest challenge which we face as an institution is of making people understand the perspective and context in which we work, particularly in the backdrop of social media. What social media has done is to transform the informative space in our society. Everything boils down to 20-second shorts. There is no time to analyse anything in great detail. As a result of that there is a lot of misinformation which arises from the work which is done by the court. Particularly because, we have now been livestreaming important cases. I think it is good as I have said sunlight is the best disinfectant. At the same time, many people outside when they see what is happening in the court, want to comment on every little thing. The court's work is deliberative, yet public commentary on livestreamed proceedings can be hasty and sometimes uninformed, which adds pressure to the institution.