‘Exposed my own personal life’: CJI Chandrachud recalls father’s message

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on November 8 gave a heart wrenching message at his farewell function. DY Chandrachud recalled an incident from his earlier life about his father. He recounted his father’s wisdom about integrity and personal space on the occasion.
The CJI will retire on November 10 but today was his last official working day. “He (my father) bought this small flat in Pune. I asked him, why on earth are you buying a flat in Pune? ““When are we going to go and stay there? He said, I know I’m never going to stay there. He said I’m not sure how long I will be with you,” ANI quoted DY Chandrachud as saying. CJI-designate Sanjiv Khanna will take oath as the 51st Chief Justice of India on November 11. 
While addressing the event, Justice DY Chandrachud said, “But do one thing, keep this flat until the last day of your tenure as a judge. I said, why is that? He said, if you feel that your moral integrity or your intellectual integrity is ever compromised, I want you to know that you have a roof over your head.” He further advised that one should not permit themselves to be compromised either as a lawyer or as a judge “because you have no place of your own.”
Acknowledging that sunlight is the best disinfectant, he said, “I know in so many ways I’ve exposed my own personal life to public knowledge.” Referring to vulnerability of personal life due to public exposure, he said, “ When you expose your own life to public knowledge, you expose yourself to criticism, particularly in today’s age of social media.”
On the occasion, Supreme Court Bar Association President Kapil Sibal hailed praises on the outgoing CJI. He said, “CJI Chandrachud was willing to deal with the complex issues which past chief justices would not allow themselves to deal with those issues for years like Article 370, same-sex marriage or electoral bonds,” reported ANI.
 
He added, “We may not agree with you, it’s not necessary to agree, but at least we must give you and salute you for the fact that you were ready, willing to deal with those complexities.”