Justice DY Chandrachud to be India’s next CJI; all you need to know about the next Chief Justice

Justice DY Chandrachud is all set to take oath as the 50th Chief Justice of India (CJI) on November 9. Upon his appointment as the CJI, Chandrachud will serve as the CJI for a period of two years. Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju confirmed Justice Chandrachud’s appointment in a tweet. Rijiju tweeted, “In exercise of the power conferred by the Constitution of India, Honorable President appoints Dr Justice DY Chandrachud, Judge, Supreme Court as the Chief Justice of India with effect from 9th November, 2022.”

All you need to know about the incoming CJI DY Chandrachud:

1. Justice Chandrachud succeeds the current CJI Uday Umesh Lalit. Lalit’s 74-day-long term expires on November 8 on attaining the age of 65.

2. The to-be CJI was a part of benches that delivered verdicts on matters including the Ayodhya land dispute, right to privacy, decriminalising homosexuality by abrogating section 377, validity of the Aadhaar scheme, Sabrimala temple case and expanding the scope of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act.

3. In February 2020, he also headed a bench that advocated for permanent commission and command postings for women officers in the Army. This bench also said that the Central government’s argument about physiological limitations was replete with “sex stereotypes” and “gender discrimination against women,”

4. In July this year. Justice Chandrachud-led bench ordered the release of Alt News’ Mohammad Zubair on interim bail in FIRs against him for alleged hate speech in Uttar Pradesh.

5. The bench transferred the cases to Delhi and stated “exercise of the power of arrest must be pursued sparingly.”

6. Justice Chandrachud was also a part of the Supreme Court bench that decriminalised adultery and struck down Section 497 of the IPC. Chandrachud said the provision is rooted in the notion that a woman once married loses her voice, autonomy and agency.

7. Chandrachud is the son of Justice Yeshwant Vishnu Chandrachud, the longest serving Chief Justice of India. Justice YV Chandrachud served as the CJI from February 22, 1978 to July 11, 1985.

8. Justice Chandrachud has practiced at the Bombay High Court and Supreme Court. He was also a visiting professor of comparative Constitutional law at the University of Mumbai.

9. He has a BA (Honours) in Economics from Delhi’s St Stephen’s College, LLB from Delhi University’s Campus Law Centre and LLM and a Doctorate in Juridical Sciences from Harvard Law School.

10. The CJI- designate was appointed as a judge in 2000 in the Bombay High Court. In 2013, he was appointed as the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court.

(With agency inputs)

Also read: 'Made by males, for males': SC on requirements to grant Permanent Commission to women Army officers

Also read: Justice DY Chandrachud appointed as next Chief Justice of India