The central government should appoint Justice Khanna as the next CJI in my place: Chandrachud
#News Bureau October 17,2024
Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud has formally recommended Justice Sanjiv Khanna to replace him as the next Chief Justice of India. According to sources in the CJI’s office, in a letter to the central government, CJI Chandrachud who is due to retire on November 11, 2024, said that Justice Khanna should take over the responsibility of the top post of the Supreme Court.
CJI Chandrachud took over as CJI on November 9, 2022. He was originally appointed as a Supreme Court judge on May 13, 2016. Chandrachud’s recommendation for Justice Sanjiv Khanna marks a significant change in the leadership of India’s judiciary.
The letter is in keeping with tradition where the retiring Chief Justice of India nominates the second-most senior judge as his successor, whose recommendation has to be approved by the central government. DY Chandrachud’s term will end on November 10. Supreme Court judges retire at the age of 65.
The current Chief Justice has sent his letter to the Law Ministry. There is no controversy regarding Justice Khanna. Anyway, after becoming the Chief Justice, he will also retire after 6 months. Therefore, the Central Government will accept the proposal of the current Chief Justice. Many times the government has made appointments by ignoring the seniority of the judges. But there have been very few controversies in the Supreme Court. But all the High Courts are full of such controversies.
The current Chief Justice is giving a lot of speeches in various programs these days. Recently his famous statement came to light. Speaking at an event in Bhutan on October 9, Chandrachud had said that his mind is filled with fears and worries about the future and the past and is pondering over the question whether he achieved everything he set out to do and how history will judge his tenure.
The Chief Justice’s words are coming from his heart. The signals of what he is saying can be understood. However, when cases like the decision on the land of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, the decision not to allow the investigation of election bonds, the matter of political workers being kept in jails for five years without trial, the death of Father Stan Swamy, the case of the death of Professor GN Sai Baba, Zakia Jafri not getting justice, etc. are remembered, then there will definitely be a discussion on the credibility of the Supreme Court or the judiciary of the country.
However, he expressed a sense of satisfaction while reflecting on his two-year tenure and said that he was consoled by knowing that he consistently gave his best regardless of the results. Recently, when the Prime Minister went to his house to worship on Ganpati Puja, this controversy also gained momentum. Because Modi had taken a camera team with him, whose photos and videos reached the whole world.
Many Chief Justices of the Supreme Court have been involved in controversies, among which the names of former CJI and current Rajya Sabha MP Ranjan Gogoi and former CJI Bobde are prominent. Ranjan Gogoi reached the Rajya Sabha only after retirement with the help of BJP. Justice Bobde has faced allegations of supporting the ruling party by the opposition many times. Justice Khanwilkar, who made the PMLA law stricter and gave more power to the ED, was appointed Lokpal by the Modi government after his retirement. Similarly, Justice (retired) Arun Kumar Mishra was made the chairman of the Human Rights Commission. Both these judges have also become victims of criticism during their tenure.