`Judges have sense of fear of being targeted for granting bail` : CJI DY Chandrachud

Justice DY Chandrachud, the senior-most judge on the Supreme Court of India, became the country`s 50th Chief Justice on November 9, 2022. At a felicitation event hosted by the Bar Council of India, he talked about a sense of fear of being targeted for granting bail.

New Delhi: Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said on Saturday that judges at the grassroots are hesitant to grant bail because they are afraid of being targeted for doing so in heinous cases. CJI Chandrachud said this at a felicitation event hosted by the Bar Council of India. "Higher judiciary is flooded with bail applications due to reluctance at grassroots to grant bail. Judges at the grassroots are reluctant to grant bail not because they do not understand crime, but there is a sense of fear of being targeted for granting bail in heinous cases." CJI DY Chandrachud  said. Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju was also in present there. He expressed concern about several lawyers meeting with CJI about transfers. "I heard some lawyers want to meet CJI regarding the transfer case. It can be an individual issue but if it becomes a recurring instance for every decision by the collegium which is supported by Government then `Where will it lead to’, whole dimension will change," Kiren Rijiju state.

On November 9, Justice DY Chandrachud, the senior-most judge on the Supreme Court of India, became the country's 50th Chief Justice. He will be in office until November 10, 2024. Chief Justice UU Lalit, who retired on November 9, was succeeded by Justice Chandrachud. Justice Chandrachud is well-known in the country as a progressive and liberal judge. He is also regarded as being very sensitive to citizens' fundamental rights, and his most distinguishing feature is his tough stance toward abusers.

Born on November 11, 1959, Justice Chandrachud was appointed judge of the Supreme Court on May 13, 2016. He was the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court from October 31, 2013, until his appointment to the Supreme Court. Justice Chandrachud was a judge of the Bombay High Court from March 29, 2000, until his appointment as Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court. He had also served as Additional Solicitor General of India from 1998 until his appointment as a judge in the Bombay High Court. He was designated as a senior advocate by the Bombay High Court in June 1998. 

(With ANI inputs)