Judiciary has to earn public respect, not try to command it: Chief Justice Khanna

CJI Khanna showed firm and principled leadership in addressing instances of judicial misconduct, says Justice Gavai

Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna indicated on Tuesday (May 13, 2025) that a simple process of weighing the pros and cons, being decisive and letting posterity determine for itself whether he took the right call of duty helped the Supreme Court steer through the two separate controversies of judicial misconduct by High Court judges during his tenure as top judge.

In an informal interaction with journalists at the Supreme Court Press lounge after he held court for the last time on his final day as top judge, Chief Justice Khanna said the judiciary had to earn public respect, not try to command it. He spoke later in the day about the worrying aspect of “truth deficit” in the legal profession, saying it only complicated and delayed adjudication.

During the interaction, when asked about his decision to publish the records of the preliminary enquiry into Justice Yashwant Varma and forward the inquiry committee report to the President and Parliament for action, Chief Justice Khanna said simply without elaborating that “judicial thinking has to be decisive. We see the pluses and minuses and decide the issue rationally. The future tells you whether you did the right thing or not”.

It was Chief Justice of India-designate, Justice B.R. Gavai, who elaborated about Chief Justice Khanna’s achievements as a top judge during a short six-month tenure, which also saw the apex court deal with the controversy over Allahabad High Court judge, Justice Shekhar Yadav’s allegedly communal remarks during a programme.

“Chief Justice Khanna showed firm and principled leadership in addressing instances of judicial misconduct. In two such instances, he acted with discretion and resolve, taking appropriate steps to uphold the dignity of the court while maintaining the confidence and trust of his colleagues. His handling of these sensitive matters reflected both institutional responsibility and personal integrity,” Justice Gavai said in his farewell remarks to the CJI.

Disclosure of assets

Listing the reforms introduced by Chief Justice Khanna, Justice Gavai referred to the collective decision to disclose the assets of judges, the sharing of the full details of the appointment process of judges to the Supreme Court and High Courts for public scrutiny as well as publishing the names of candidates who were recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium for judicial appointments to High Courts for the past two-and-a-half years, since November 2022. Chief Justice Khanna also kick-started the process of interacting with candidates shortlisted for the Benches of the High Courts.

In his own speech at his farewell, Chief Justice Khanna conveyed his relief about the apex court having achieved a case clearance ratio of over 100%, reaching 106.6%. “In simple terms, the Supreme Court disposed of more cases than were filed, allowing us to reduce the backlog for the first time in four years,” he explained.

“Chief Justice Khanna has demonstrated that impact is not measured by the length of time in office but the depth of one’s contributions. His tenure was not about creating a spectacle or making noise for the sake of attention. It was about encouraging changes within the judiciary and ensuring that the system not only functioned but also evolved,” Justice Gavai said in his own address.

Attorney General of India R. Venkataramani succinctly compared Chief Justice Khanna to a “river that flowed quietly”.

Justice Gavai, who is taking oath as the 52nd Chief Justice of India on May 14, said the role of a Chief Justice of India was not one of power but of profound duty.

Published - May 13, 2025 09:25 pm IST