New Delhi: Justice DY Chandrachud, who retired as the Chief Justice of India (CJI) earlier this month, said that society continues to view former judges as custodians of the law even after retirement. Therefore, their lifestyle must accord with the sense of faith the society has in the legal system, he added. He was replying to a question which sought his opinion on judges joining politics, NDTV reported.
He opined that he would not do anything after retirement since it could cast an element of doubt on his work and the integrity of the judicial system.
Addressing the NDTV's Samvidhan@75 conclave, he said, The society continues to look at you as a judge even when you lay down office. Therefore, things that are alright for other citizens, the society expects, would not be alright for judges to do, even when they cease to be in office.”
However, he clarified that he was not casting an aspersion on judges who joined politics in the past. Justice Chandrachud had served as the top judge of India for two years.
He continued that it is for every judge to take a call on whether a decision that they take after retirement will have a bearing on how people assess the work they did as a judge. If a judge joins politics right after his retirement, it may give rise to a certain perception of the extent to which his judicial work was influenced by the politics he adapted, the former CJI said.
He acknowledged that the judicial institution plays a role in a judge’s career and said, "Whatever a former judge does - his behaviour or personal lifestyle - must accord with the sense of faith the society has in your institution, " NDTV quoted.