Sanjay Kishan Kaul says Chandrachud considered government call in memoir
Former Supreme Court judge Sanjay Kishan Kaul's upcoming memoir, Without Fear or Favour, is making waves after he said that former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud wondered aloud whether he should telephone out to check the government's view before picking judges.
In an interview, Kaul described a moment when Chandrachud allegedly considered asking for executive input on a Supreme Court appointment, raising concerns about whether this crosses a line for judicial independence.
Split reactions to Kaul's claim
Reactions have been split. Some legal experts like Rakesh Dwivedi praised Chandrachud's time as CJI for big reforms and important rulings.
Others, including Vikas Singh and Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh, echoed Kaul's worries about judges staying independent from government influence.
Even so, Kaul made it clear he respects Chandrachud as a judge. He just thinks these actions could set tricky precedents for how courts and governments interact in the future.