Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud Archives - Lokmarg

Greater Collaboration Needed Between Judges & Lawyers: CJI

By LokMarg 17th September 2023

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, while addressing lawyers at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, remarked that greater collaboration between judges and lawyers is a prerequisite for strengthening the legal system and making it resilient for future challenges.

While addressing a gathering of over 600 advocates at Chatrapati Sambhaji

Nagar today, the Chief Justice of India emphasized the importance of enhancing collaboration between judges and lawyers to find solutions for the betterment of the legal system and the administration of justice.

The CJI was addressing an event organised to mark the 75th Marathwada Liberation Day, also known as Marathwada Mukti Sangram Din.

Speaking on the occasion, Justice Chandrachud shared the importance of the Marathwada liberation movement in Marathi.

The CJI unfurled the national flag at the Aurangabad Bench of the Bombay High Court, in accordance with the annual tradition to commemorate a day of historic significance to Marathwada, Maharashtra and the nation.

Speaking to the lawyers, the CJI cautioned against lawyers resorting to strikes and boycotting courts. He emphasised that issues could always be amicably resolved by discussion and co-operation between the Bar and the Bench.

Emphasizing the need to ensure that women are given a significant voice in the legal system, as legal professionals, the CJI stated that it is a constitutional duty of every member of the legal profession to provide substantive institutional support and encouragement to women lawyers.

For the young lawyers, he encouraged all lawyers to provide proper guidance and support to the young members of the legal profession.

Though India obtained freedom from colonial rule on 15 August 1947, a few princely states including Hyderabad (which was under the Nizam) refused to merge with the Union of India.

There was popular unrest against the Nizam and a movement for liberating Marathwada gained roots. The populace was subjected to unrelenting atrocities. Innumerable people sacrificed their lives for the liberation of Marathwada. Amidst the unrest, the government of India launched a military operation named Operation Polo.

On 17 September 1948, the Nizam eventually surrendered and agreed to the merger. There were several internal freedom movements such as the Marathwada Mukti Sangram which ensured that India became a union of states. (ANI)

SC Extends Relief To Editors Guild Members In Manipur Fact-Finding Report Case

By LokMarg 11th September 2023

The Supreme Court on Monday extended its order granting interim protection from arrest till September 15 to the president and fact-finding team members of the Editors Guild of India (EGI) in relation to the two FIRs registered against them by the Manipur Police.

A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra

extended the operation of its order passed on September 6 on the plea of the EGI till Friday, the next date of hearing.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Manipur government, told the bench that EGI members may be protected for some more time and asked it to send the matter to the Manipur High Court as done in other cases.

However, senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Shyam Divan, appearing for the EGI, opposed SG’s submission saying the matter be heard by the apex top court as the FIRs have been lodged on the basis of a fact-finding report.

The Chief Justice asked Mehta whether the State would agree to the transfer of the case to the Delhi High Court as a one-off measure. “We will not quash the FIRs here… but we will examine whether such a plea could be heard by the Delhi High Court,” CJI said.

SG initially objected to the transfer of the case to the Delhi High Court, saying the EGI was trying to make it into a “national, political issue” and asked why the petitioners were insisting on Delhi, and not States neighbouring Manipur.

Mehta said the Manipur High Court was functioning regularly and allowed virtual hearing of cases.

Sibal told the bench that EGI’s team had visited Manipur on the “Army’s invitation” to make an “objective assessment” of the “unethical and ex parte reporting” by the vernacular media.

“We did not volunteer to go there. It is the Army that requested us. We got a letter from the Army,” Sibal said.

The Chief Justice expressed surprise as to why the Army wanted the EGI to go to Manipur.

Editors Guild of India approached the Supreme Court seeking quashing of two FIRs registered by Manipur police against its president and its fact-finding team over the report on the violence in the State.

The Guild’s 24-page report was released on September 2. The fact-finding team was sent to Manipur to examine the media reportage in the state from August 7 to 10.

The Manipur Police registered an FIR against Guild’s President Seema Mustafa, and three of its members – Seema Guha, Bharat Bhushan and Sanjay Kapoor – who were part of the fact-finding team that visited Manipur to examine how media in the state was reporting the violence. They had concluded that local news reports about the riots were biased.

The first FIR is based on a complaint filed by one Ngangom Sarat Singh who has described the report as “ false, fabricated and sponsored”. The second FIR was registered against the four members of the Guild, with the additional charge of defamation.

The plea sought directions to quash two FIRs registered by the Manipur police against Guild’s members.

The top court is seized of the cases relating to the violence in Manipur between Meitei and Kuki communities.

The violence in Manipur between the Hindu Meiteis and the tribal Kuki, who are Christians, erupted after a rally by the All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM) on May 3.

Violence has gripped the entire state since May and the Central government had to deploy paramilitary forces to bring the situation under control. (ANI)

CJI Chandrachud Brings Daughters To SC

By LokMarg 6th January 2023

Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud on Friday came to the Supreme Court with his two foster daughters and gave them a tour of the courtroom and his chamber.

CJI Chandrachud, who reached the court premises around 10 am today, took his daughters to CJI courtroom number one through the visitor’s gallery before the scheduled court time of 10.30 am.
“See, this is where I sit,” he told his daughters, both differently-abled.

The CJI took his daughters to his chamber while explaining about his workplace and showed them the place where the judges sit and where the lawyers argue their cases.

CJI Chandrachud entered the courtroom along with his daughters from the public gallery, he then took both of them to the CJI court and showed them how the court functions. (ANI)