'We Are Here Only As Pilgrims, Do Our Work & Leave': CJI DY Chandrachud Bids Farewell To Supreme Court

 Chief Justice of India Dr DY Chandrachud in his parting remarks before demitting the office on November 10, expressed gratitude for his journey so far in Judicial System. 

During the ceremonial bench proceedings held for his farewell on his last working day, the CJI said :

"We are here as pilgrims, birds for short passage of time, do our work and leave....but the work which we do can leave a mark in the institution. Of course, none of us is that important to feel that the Court will not survive without me. Great judges have come here in the past and passed on the baton to the succeeding generations...in that way, we sustain the institution, with different people with diverse viewpoints coming to the Court and passing the baton along" The CJI expressed. 

He also shared his sense of confidence in CJI-Designate Justice Sanjiv Khanna who would be succeeding him from November 11.  

"So I am sure that my leaving from here is not going to make the slightest difference to the Court, particularly because I know that the person after me is so stable, so solid- Justice Khanna, a person so dignified, so aware of the court, the historical perspectives."  

An Applause From The Bar  

The CJI received an overwhelming farewell response from the bar, which several senior advocates, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, Attorney General R Venkataramani, SCBA President Kapil Sibal and junior lawyers lauding the contributions of the CJI on both administrative and judicial fronts.  

"Painful thing to say such a few words. My lords' family is here, except for the 2 sons in the profession. They would never know what it means to be Dr Justice DY Chandrachud....why I say this is because they would have known what is their gain and what is our loss. We never felt hesitant....not in one case we felt that we were not able to convey, we were fully satisfied we were able to present a case. My lords has always taken a stand as the Karta of the Judicial Family, I am addressing mylords for the last time, may I take the liberty of saying - 'DYC will really be missed'"  the SG expressed. 

SCBA President Kapil Sibal also poured in appreciation for the CJI, " In my 52 years in the SC, I have never seen a judge like you with limitless patience....you reached out to the communities of the country who were never heard and seen before. You brought them before this court and showed them what justice is. Your father dealt with the court when the court was tumultuous, you dealt with the court when the matters were tumultuous, you took the case head on...there will be no other CJI like you! Thank you so much"  

Sr Adv KK Venugopal recalled, " I remember when Justice YV Chandrachud asked me if his son should continue lawyering or opt for judgeship, I suggested he should continue at the bar he will rise at the top, but you opted for judgeship, had my advise been taken, we would have lost such a great CJI !" 

Senior Advocates Huzefa Ahmadi, Siddhartha Dave, Dr.Menaka Guruswamy, Madhavi Divan, Additional Solicitor Generals SV Raju,N Venkataraman and Aishwarya Bhati etc. also wished the CJI.

Other senior and junior members lauded the CJI's efforts towards ensuring each party was given sufficient time to be represented, women lawyers be treated at par. The bar also thanked the CJI for the pro-technology-driven Courtroom initiatives, online hearings and standing for the cause of the underprivileged, rights of persons with disabilities and SC/STs. 

Justice Chandrachud was sworn in as the 50th Chief Justice of India on November 9, 2022, and was elevated from the Allahabad High Court on May 13, 2016, to be appointed as a Supreme Court Judge.