Chief Justice of India Chandrachud said it was normal for him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to meet during Ganesh Puja. Such meetings are usually held to discuss issues related to the infrastructure of the judiciary but not judicial decisions. Let us tell you that CJI DY Chandrachud will retire on November 10.
Justice Sanjeev Khanna will succeed him as the next Chief Justice of India. In September this year, when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at the residence of the Chief Justice of India during Ganesh Puja, a controversy arose, with many people questioning the meeting between the two.
“We are very clear about our responsibilities”
The CJI said, “There is enough maturity between judges and executive heads to avoid any discussion on judicial matters.” He said, “We know our responsibilities in a democratic dispensation and political system and the executive also knows its responsibilities .No judge, least of all the Attorney General or the Chief Justice, is subject to any threat to the independence of the judiciary.
“Constant meetings between the chief justice and the chief justices of the states”
The CJI said at the Loksatta Lecture Series on Sunday: “I would like to tell you that there is a tradition in the states where regular meetings are held between the chief justices of the states and chief justices. Now, what do people think, why do they meet? They never meet to discuss Judicial issues. The maturity of our political system is that even among the political class there is a lot of respect for the judiciary.
“Such meetings have a different agenda”
On the issue of judicial infrastructure, including new court buildings and residences for various district judges, the CJI said, “For this, a meeting of the Chief Justice and the Chief Minister is required. “I am the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court. I served on the Bombay High Court Administrative Committee. There is a tradition in the state that the Chief Justice of the High Court approaches the Chief Minister when the Chief Justice is first appointed. Next time the Chief Minister goes to meet the Chief Justice. All such meetings have different agendas.
“We even meet at weddings but don’t discuss work”
He said, “The administrative relationship between the High Court and the state governments is very different from the traditional work of the High Court.” The same applies to the administrative relationship between the Supreme Court of India at the central level and the government of the day, but we should understand that This has no impact on judicial functions. “Judges also meet with political leaders at weddings, social events and other events, but never discuss work matters,” he said.
