CJI Chandrachud defends PM’s visit to his home: “nothing wrong in private event”

Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud on Monday defended Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to his home during Ganpati Puja, stating it was “absolutely nothing wrong.” Speaking at an event by the Indian Express, Chandrachud stressed the need for “maturity in the political sphere” regarding such meetings.

The CJI explained that these interactions are not uncommon, noting that the judiciary and executive often meet at events like Republic Day and at Rashtrapati Bhavan. He emphasized that these conversations do not touch on pending cases but rather cover broader social topics. “This conversation does not involve cases we decide but life and society in general,” he clarified.

Chandrachud highlighted that the separation of powers between the judiciary and executive doesn’t imply a lack of dialogue. In fact, he views such interactions as part of a healthy, inter-institutional mechanism. “We must respect that a dialogue occurs as part of this robust framework,” he noted.

Addressing his prior statement on praying for a peaceful solution to the Ayodhya Ram Mandir issue, the CJI affirmed he is a “person of faith” who respects all religions equally.