New Delhi:

Stressing to incorporate a green lifestyle into daily lives, Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud on Tuesday said that climate change can no longer be ignored.

Speaking at the occasion of laying the foundation stone of new buildings at Delhi’s Karkardooma, Shastri Park and Rohini, CJI Chandrachud referred to the two heatwaves followed by the recent record-breaking rain in a single day in the national capital.

“This year Delhi experienced the hottest recorded weather. Our infrastructure must reflect the reality we live in – Climate change can no longer be ignored. One crucial step is to incorporate a green lifestyle into our daily lives, which includes reducing carbon emissions,” he said.

The CJI said he was delighted to know that these new GRIHA-rated court buildings will focus on heat island mitigation and reduce environmental footprint. Green Rated Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA) — a rating tool that helps people assess the performance of their building against certain nationally acceptable environmental benchmarks.

He said, “Court premises like all buildings are not just made of bricks and concrete. They are made up of hope. Courts are made to realise the virtues of justice and the rule of law. Every case that is being filed before us, is with that hope for justice. When we invest in the safety, accessibility and comfort of our judges, lawyers and litigants, we build more than just an efficient system — we make a just and inclusive system.”

He said that the new court complexes would enhance the efficiency of the court, alleviate case backlogs and provide a dignified environment to all stakeholders.

Further, CJI Chandrachud said that the judicial system subserves no might but the Constitution and is in service of no one but the litigants, adding that our courts are not merely sights of sovereign power but are also essential public service providers.

“I am hopeful that the new additions to the courts will embrace its rich legacy and create futuristic courts to enhance efficiency and uphold justice,” he said in conclusion.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Kolkata:

 Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud on Friday said that more has to be done towards achieving maximum gender representation in the legal profession, while appreciating strides already made towards that direction.

He urged the legal fraternity to work towards fostering more equality.

The CJI said that in various states, in the competitive examinations for the lowest level of judicial service, over 60 per cent of the recruits are now women.

“That shows you the social evolution that is taking place in India,” he said, speaking at the bicentenary celebration of the Bar Library Club of the Calcutta High Court at the Town Hall here.

“But while progress is being made in terms of gender representation, there remains a pressing need to ensure that our judicial institutions are truly inclusive and accommodating for all,” the CJI said.

He said that despite the presence of female lawyers, amenities and facilities catering to their specific needs are “sorely lacking”.

Women often have multifaceted identities – balancing household tasks and child-rearing responsibilities alongside their professional careers, he said.

The CJI said that managing both domestic and professional spheres can be a daunting exercise for women.

“The expectation that women shoulder dual roles as caregivers and as professionals, highlights the need for supportive policies and environment within our legal institutions,” he said.

He said that the introduction of a meal for Rs 25 for the staff of the Supreme Court, where more than 2,000 women work, after he took over as CJI, has gone a long way in helping those women who do not find time to cook for themselves in the morning to get wholesome food at their workplace.

“A small initiative like this makes such a big difference to the empowerment of women,” he said.

The CJI urged the legal fraternity to build on the initiatives, ensuring that they translate into meaningful actions that foster more equitable treatment for women.

“Encouraging diversity and inclusion strengthens our legal system and enriches the perspectives that drive justice,” he said.

Stating that the Supreme Court has in its 75-year history designated a total of 313 women as senior counsels, he said that this February, 12 women were designated senior counsels at one go in one particular selection.

Holding that common citizens feel that adjournments have become a routine of the judicial system in present times, he said that this perception is disheartening.

“This leads to prolonged litigations, increased costs for litigants and delayed justice, ultimately eroding the public trust in our legal system,” he said.

Drawing reference from popular Hindi cinema ‘Jolly LLB’, he said that the protagonist in the movie confronted the courtroom dynamics and that Jolly observed another advocate manipulating evidence to favour his wealthy client.

“This fictional portrayal vividly reflects real-world concerns where professionalism and ethical standards are sometimes compromised affecting the credibility of legal proceedings,” he said.

Asking whether lawyers should be ceasing to do work to pay respect to a member of the Bar who has passed away, he said.

“Every minute of judicial time which is lost is judicial time lost in answering a case of a litigant who is crying for justice,” he said.

He said that the traditions of the legal fraternity can be suitably altered to pay respects and yet at the same time make themselves in tune with the demands of modern society.

The CJI also called for doing away with resistance to technological advancements within the legal profession.

Supreme Court judges Justice B R Gavai and Justice Dipankar Dutta, Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court T S Sivagnanam were among those present at the programme. PTI AMR NN

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

While corporal punishment is now looked down upon as a cruel method to discipline children, it was very much a reality for generations that did their schooling decades ago. For Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, it wasn’t different either.

Speaking at a seminar on Saturday, he recalled when he was caned at school for a small mistake.

“How you treat children has a deep impact on their minds throughout their life…I will never forget that day in school. I was not a juvenile delinquent when my hands were caned. I was learning craft and didn’t bring the right sized needles to class for the assignment,” he said.

The Chief Justice, who was then in Class 5, said the way people treat children leaves a lasting impact on their minds.

“I still remember that I requested my teacher to cane my bum and not my hand,” he added. Out of shame, he could not tell his parents and had to hide his injured right palm for 10 days.

“The physical wound healed, but left an everlasting imprint on the mind and soul. It is still with me when I do my work. The impact of such travesty on children is so deep,” said the CJI.

The Chief Justice of India shared the incident while speaking at the National Symposium on Juvenile Justice organised by the Supreme Court of Nepal in Kathmandu.

While discussing juvenile justice, we need to recognise the vulnerabilities and unique needs of children embroiled in legal disputes and ensure that our justice systems respond with compassion, rehabilitation and opportunities for reintegration into society, said CJI Chandrachud.

He said it is important to understand the multifaceted nature of adolescence and its interrelationship with various dimensions of the society.

At the seminar, the CJI also mentioned a petition filed in the Supreme Court demanding the termination of pregnancy of a minor rape survivor.

He also talked about the challenges faced by India’s juvenile justice system. A major challenge is inadequate infrastructure and resources, especially in rural areas, which has led to overcrowded and substandard juvenile detention centres, due to which providing proper support to juvenile delinquents and efforts to provide rehabilitation may be hindered, he said.

Social realities must also be considered as many children are pushed into criminal activities by gangs, the CJI said, adding that adolescents with disabilities are also vulnerable – as is seen how visually impaired children are exploited for begging by criminal syndicates in India.

New Delhi:

How much fee did Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud bill his client when he fought his first case in the Bombay High Court a long time ago as a legal professional, fresh out of law school?

Rs 60.

That’s what Chief Justice Chandrachud said on Monday while hearing a matter on charging “high fees” for enrolment in bar councils in different states.

In 1986, Chief Justice Chandrachud had returned from Harvard and started practising law in the Bombay High Court. That year, his first case was before Justice Sujata Manohar for an urgent hearing. He earned the Rs 60 fee for this work.

At that time, lawyers would not usually ask for fee in Indian rupees, but in gold ‘mohar’, as was done during the colonial days.

Case briefing files given to lawyers on behalf of their clients included a green docket on which the words “GM” (gold mohar), instead of rupees, would be written. There, lawyers would write their fee in “GM”.

One gold mohar was about Rs 15 at that time. A young Chief Justice Chandrachud wrote “4 GM” on the docket and got the fee of Rs 60.

This trend was prevalent in the Bombay High Court till 25 years ago, sources said. The price of one GM in the Calcutta High Court was Rs 16.

The Supreme Court on Monday reserved judgment on a batch of petitions challenging the enrolment fee charged by bar councils in different states as exorbitant. The Bench also included Justice JB Pardiwala.

During the hearing, the Bench questioned whether bar councils can charge a fee higher than the amount mentioned in the Advocates Act, 1961 which says Rs 600 for state bar councils and Rs 150 for the Bar Council of India.

The Bench noted there was no uniformity in the fees charged by state bar councils. In some states such as Kerala, Maharashtra, and Delhi, it is in the range of Rs 15,000, while in others like Odisha it is Rs 41,000.

The bench observed that the legal question was whether the bar councils can charge a sum higher than what is mentioned in the law.

“It is for parliament to increase the enrolment fee. It is a valid point you raised on the various expenses to run the state bar councils. But the law is very clear. You cannot charge more than Rs 600,” Chief Justice Chandrachud said.

In July 2023, the Supreme Court had transferred to itself petitions pending in high courts on this issue.

Last year, the Kerala High Court directed the Bar Council of Kerala to collect only Rs 750 as enrolment fee from law graduates wishing to enrol, till the Bar Council of India considers a uniform fee structure.

A view of Supreme Court of India. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

The Supreme Court on April 5 dismissed a plea seeking transportation of the mortal remains of Sufi saint Hazrat Shah Muhammad Abdul Muqtadir Shah Masood Ahmad from Bangladesh to India.

A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice D. Y. Chandrachud said there is no constitutionally enforceable right to seek transportation of the Sufi saint’s mortal remains as he was a Pakistani citizen.

“He is a Pakistani citizen, how can you expect the Union of India to bring his burials in India?” the Bench asked. The counsel, appearing for petitioner Dargah Hazrat Mulla Syed, said the saint has no family in Pakistan, whereas, at the dargah in Uttar Pradesh, he was the Sajjada-nasheen (spiritual head).

The lawyer told the top court that the saint was born in Prayagraj, then called Allahabad, and migrated to Pakistan. He got Pakistani citizenship in 1992.

“He was elected as the Sajjada Nasheen of the shrine viz. Dargah Hazrat Mulla Syed Mohammad Shah in 2008 in Prayagraj. He executed his will in 2021 expressing a desire to be buried in the shrine. He died in Dhaka where he was buried. There are difficulties in entertaining such a petition.

“Hazrat Shah was a Pakistani citizen and has no constitutional right… the practical difficulties related to exhumation. As a matter of first principle, it would not be right for this court to direct the transportation of the mortal remains of a citizen of a foreign state in India,” the Bench, also comprising Justices J. B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said.

New Delhi:

Senior advocate Dinesh Dwivedi and Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud shared a jovial moment in the Supreme Court on Wednesday. 

Mr Dwivedi, with a hint of jest, attributed his multi-coloured hair to the recent Holi festivities. “Apologies for my colourful hair,” he chuckled, adding, “It is because of Holi. This is the disadvantage of having a lot of kids and grandkids around. You can’t save yourself.”

Chief Justice Chandrachud seized the opportunity to add a dash of humour to the conversation. “Nothing to do with alcohol?” he quipped, evoking laughter from those present.

Mr Dwivedi, joining in the laughter, playfully admitted, “It does. Holi means partly alcohol… and I must confess… I am a fan of whiskey.”

The courtroom erupted in laughter. 

A nine-judge Constitution bench was hearing a case on industrial alcohol. The bench deliberated whether industrial alcohol is the same as edible alcohol that is available in the markets and the overlapping powers between the Centre and state governments on industrial alcohol production.

Mr Dwivedi, representing the state of Uttar Pradesh, argued that all forms of alcohol come under state control. 

New Delhi:

The premier investigative agencies of the country have been spread too thin and they must only focus on cases that involve national security and crimes against the nation, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said today. Delivering the 20th DP Kohli Memorial Lecture on CBI Raising Day, Justice Chandrachud also flagged how technology has changed the crime terrain and  the agency is now facing a complex challenge.

“The CBI is being increasingly asked to delve into diverse array of criminal cases beyond its role as anti-corruption investigative agency. This places a huge responsibility on CBI to live upto its motto,” Justice Chandrachud said.

“I think we have spread out the premier investigative agencies too thin. They must only focus on those that concern national security and crimes of economic offences against the nation,” the Chief Justice added, pointing out that the force consists largely of officers on deputation.

The solution, he suggested, was digitising the investigation process that can begin from the filing of a First Information Report.  Given the huge number of cases, technology needs to be leveraged to reduce delays.

“All arms of the criminal justice administration and all stakeholders including the FSLs must collaborate by holding workshops to help confront challenged we face,” he said.

The other changes should include upgrading the probe agency by making structural reforms.

Also, artificial Intelligence must be harnessed fir the best outcome. Calling it a “game changer” that can revolutionise  criminal justice, he said it can be used to mine potential leads and data “with unprecedented accuracy”.

New Delhi:

Congress’s Mallikarjun Kharge issued a strong rebuttal this evening to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s comment that to “browbeat and bully others is vintage Congress culture”. In a statement that started with a mild “it is not proper form for the PM to comment on our judiciary”, the Congress chief went on to ask four pointed questions and accused the Prime Minister of being “personally responsible” for “usurping” the powers of institutions and “weakening our country”.

What drew the Congress chief’s rejoinder was a blistering post by PM Modi earlier today after 600 lawyers wrote to Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, alleging attempts by “a vested interest group” to undermine the judiciary’s integrity and defame courts.

“To browbeat and bully others is vintage Congress culture. Five decades ago, they itself had called for a ‘committed judiciary’ – they shamelessly want commitment from others for their selfish interests, but desist from any commitment towards the nation,” PM Modi said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Later in the evening, the Congress chief, in his statement posted on X, “As you consider India’s institutions to be your personal property, I have some questions for you”.

PM @narendramodi ji,

You are talking about Judiciary.

1. You conveniently forget that 4 senior-most Supreme Court judges were forced to hold an unprecedented press conference and warn against “destruction of Democracy”. That happened under your regime.

One of the judges was…

— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) March 28, 2024

The first question pertained to an unprecedented press conference in January 2018 by four judges of the Supreme Court, who went public with their complaints against the then Chief Justice of India, Dipak Misra. An independent judiciary is essential for a functioning democracy, the judges had said.

“Why was one of the judges nominated by your Govt to the Rajya Sabha?” he asked next, refering to the unprecedented Upper House nomination of former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi in 2020. The recommendation by then President of India Ram Nath Kovind is unprecedented – till then, no Chief Justice had been nominated to the Upper House by the head of the state.

“Why has your party fielded a former high court judge from West Bengal for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections?” Mr Kharge has also asked, referring to the former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijeet Gangopadhyay, whose move into electoral politics has raised eyebrows.

Mr Kharge also questioned why the government brought the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) that was struck down by the Supreme Court. The Congress, though, had supported the constitutional amendment bill in parliament.

The letter by over 600 lawyers, including veteran advocate Harish Salve and Bar Council chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra, alleged that the vested interest group is putting pressure on the judiciary, especially in cases of corruption involving political leaders.

The letter also targeted a section of lawyers without naming them and alleged they defend politicians by day and then try to influence judges through the media at night.

Refering to the letter, Union minister Kiren Rijiju posted on X that “sane voices” are coming out now. “These Congress people coined the concept of committed judiciary and suspended Indian Constitution. The Congress and leftists want courts and constitutional authorities to serve them or else they immediately start attacking the very institutions,” his post read.

New Delhi:

Justice Prathiba M Singh, currently serving as a Judge at the Delhi High Court, is set to release a comprehensive two-volume book on Patent Law. The unveiling ceremony is scheduled to take place tomorrow in Delhi, with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in attendance.

The surge in intellectual property litigation, particularly in the realm of patent law, has prompted the need for a thorough and insightful resource. The book, spanning over 2,600 pages across two volumes, serves as a commentary on Patent Law and draws from approximately 500 legal decisions.

Justice Prathiba M Singh began writing the book in 2013 when she was designated as a Senior Advocate. Former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Senior Advocate Harish Salve played key roles in encouraging Justice Singh to undertake this monumental task.

The book launch ceremony will witness the presence of international luminaries in patent law, including Lord Justice Colin Birss from the Court of Appeal England & Wales, Dr Klaus Grabinski, President of the Unified Patent Court in Luxembourg, and Dr Annabelle Bennett, Former Judge of the Federal Court of Australia.

The unfortunate deaths of legal luminaries Soli J Sorabjee and Fali S Nariman, who both supported and encouraged Justice Singh in her endeavor, add a poignant note to the event. Fali S Nariman is commemorated as one of the Chief Guests in the invitation, a tribute to his unwavering support.

The book delves into key aspects of patentability, including Novelty, Inventive Step, and Industrial Applicability. Additionally, it addresses the crucial issue of patent infringement and explores potential remedies.

A notable feature of the publication is the inclusion of 70-page snapshots offering a condensed view of the commentary. It also acknowledges the contributions of judges whose decisions are referenced, including Chief Justice of India Justice  DY Chandrachud and other sitting judges.

The book confronts the challenges posed by Artificial Intelligence (AI) in patent law. With the rapid growth of AI technologies, the question of whether AI-created innovations deserve patent protection is a current subject of debate.

Before assuming her role as a Judge in the Delhi High Court in May 2017, Justice Singh had a flourishing practice, specialising in areas such as intellectual property laws, including patents, trademarks, designs, copyright, and internet laws.

A leading global publication has consistently recognised Justice Prathiba M Singh among the 50 Most Influential People in Intellectual Property for the years 2021 and 2022.

Justice Singh cautions that any lawyer quoting this book during a hearing does so “at one’s own risk and peril.” 

New Delhi:

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and other Supreme Court judges, along with their families, visited the Amrit Udyan at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

President Droupadi Murmu joined the Supreme Court judges and their families during their visit on Monday and interacted with them.

Chief Justice of India, Dr Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and judges of the Supreme Court, along with their families visited the Amrit Udyan of Rashtrapati Bhavan. President Droupadi Murmu joined them in the visit to the Udyan and interacted with them.@RBVisitpic.twitter.com/6Ei7EKdta5

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) March 4, 2024

President Murmu also shared pictures of the visit in a post X.

The President on February 1 inaugurated Udyan Utsav – 2024 at the Amrit Udyan, which is open to the public till March 31.

The Amrit Udyan, earlier known as the Mughal Gardens, is inspired by the historic Mughal gardens and was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)