New Delhi: Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, on the final day of his tenure as CJI, delivered a message from the ceremonial bench saying, if I have ever hurt anyone in the court, please forgive me for that, and added that he is leaving with a sense of happiness, as the next CJI Justice Sanjiv Khanna he is so stable, so solid, and so committed to the cause of justice.
The CJI addressed a courtroom filled with lawyers, legal fraternity members, and his family members.
The CJI recalled a light-hearted moment with his registrar judicial the previous evening, he shared, "When my registrar judicial asked me what time the ceremonial should begin, I said 2 pm….”.
“In the night, I was a little worried as it is a Friday afternoon…with experience of this court by 2 PM, the court will be completely empty. Probably looking at myself on the big screen…”, said the CJI, in a lighter vein, in a courtroom packed with lawyers’.
“It is a great honour to be sitting in this court. When I was young, I used to sit in the last row of this court, watched the greats of the Bar, learned so much about how to argue, behave in the court, courtcraft…”, said the CJI.
The CJI, capturing the essence of his tenure in the apex court, said: “we are here as pilgrims…but the work, which we do can either make or mar the institution…there have been great judges here in the past, who passed on the baton to the succeeding generations. That is something which sustains the institutions”. “Different people with diverse viewpoints come to the court and pass the baton along. So, I am leaving in another two minutes’, it is not going to make a slightest difference to the court….”.
The CJI praised the next CJI Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who was with him on the ceremonial bench, saying “he is so stable, so solid, and so committed to the cause of justice”. “So, I leave the court with a sense of happiness. The person who is going to come and sit here on Monday, the person is so dignified. So aware of the position of the court in the wide social and political life. The historical perspective of this court….”, said the CJI.
“Right from the Noida courts, as we call them among the members of the bench, down to the first five courts and now the CJI’s court. Has been enormously sustaining and enriching….you ask me what keeps me going. It is this court which has kept me going because there is not a single day when you feel you have not learnt something…that you do not have an opportunity to serve the society”, said the CJI, while reflecting on his judicial journey in the apex court.
The CJI said there is no greater feeling for a judge to be able to serve those in need and people who you have never met, possibly do not even know. “People whose lives you have the ability to touch without having ever seen them. That is the great joy and calm that followed me for the last 24 years….Each one of you has taught me so much that I did not know about law, more importantly that I did not know about life….”, said the CJI.
The CJI, in a heartfelt moment, said: “I have ever hurt anyone of you here in the court, sometimes even I can get irritable….If I have ever hurt anyone of you. I would like to say Michhami Dukkadam (a Jain phrase, which translates to may all my misdeeds be forgiven). Please forgive.... something I did not intend to ever say or do, which may hurt you. Thank you very much for coming in such large numbers”.
Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who will be sworn in as the 51st Chief Justice of India on November 11, said, "I never had the chance to appear in Justice Chandrachud's court, but what he has done for the marginalised and the needy is beyond comparison".
Justice Khanna said CJI Chandrachud is fond of samosas, and they were served in nearly every meeting.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said CJI will be truly missed. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal said, “You are an extraordinary son of an extraordinary father... The ever- smiling Dr Chandrachud, your face shall be etched forever.”
