Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, while speaking at the Marathi daily `Loksatta' event, reacted to the political row over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to his home for Ganesh Puja. The CJI said no judicial matters are discussed in such meetings. He asserted it is a practice for chief ministers and Chief Justices of High Courts to hold regular meetings.
CJI Chandrachud said people think why these meetings. The maturity of our political system lies in the fact that there is a great deal of deference to the judiciary even in the political class, he added.
The judiciary's budget is from the state and it is not for judges, the CJI said, adding judges need new court buildings, new residences in districts and for this, the Chief Justice and Chief Minister's meetings are necessary.
Earlier, PM Modi's visit to the CJI Chandrachud’s residence on September 10 on the occasion of Ganesh Puja created a political outrage. Congress led the attack on PM Modi calling it a wrong practice.
“Joined Ganesh Puja at the residence of CJI, Justice DY Chandrachud Ji. May Bhagwan Shri Ganesh bless us all with happiness, prosperity and wonderful health,” PM Modi wrote on X.
Every institution can be improved: CJI
CJI Chandrachud said every institution can be improved, but it should not lead to a conclusion that there is something fundamentally wrong with it.
He was talking about the collegium system. To a question on the collegium system of appointment of Supreme Court and High Court judges, the CJI said it is a federal system where the responsibility has been given to different levels of governments (both the Centre and the states) and the judiciary.
(With agency's inputs)
