Former CJI D.Y. Chandrachud said the highlight of his judicial career was securing permanent commission for women in the armed forces, adding that laws designed to protect women have the power to bring meaningful and lasting change in society.
Former Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud expressed that the highlight of his career was securing permanent commission for women in the armed forces, emphasizing that laws aimed at protecting women can lead to significant change in society.
Speaking at a literature festival in Dehradun, where he engaged with private school students, he noted the necessity for further progress, as society remains deeply patriarchal.
Justice Chandrachud encouraged students to break the mould to foster positive societal changes, using social reformer B.R. Ambedkar and anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela as examples.
When asked which law could inspire the most transformative change, he stated,
“Laws which protect our women.”
He reflected on the importance of women serving as permanent members in the armed forces, including in roles such as pilots and on naval vessels.
Despite the advancements, he highlighted the need for ongoing efforts in a patriarchal society, urging parents to prioritize their daughters’ education over early marriages.
He told the girl students,
“It is you who can change society.”
In a landmark ruling in February 2020, a bench that included Justice Chandrachud and Ajay Rastogi granted women officers the right to permanent commission in the Army, deeming their exclusion from various positions unjustifiable.
Justice Chandrachud stated,
“Why can’t we change? We need to break the mould. Ultimately, society has been changed by those who have the power to question, people who have the power to break the mould.”
He reminded students that societal change is possible through individual efforts, citing Nelson Mandela’s fight against apartheid and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s work to abolish untouchability as historical examples.
He encouraged the students to uphold ethics, noting that while they live within a community, their personal conscience should align with moral and constitutional values. He urged them to be good human beings, whether in their future professions as doctors or lawyers, emphasizing the importance of understanding injustice.
Justice Chandrachud also highlighted the need for students to learn beyond the confines of the classroom.
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He shared that he would rise at 3:30 a.m. to read or listen to music. He highlighted the critical role of the rule of law in national development, advocating for increased investment in infrastructure and technology within the judiciary.
He asserted,
“It was a part of my mission as CJI to ensure that technology reaches the doorsteps of people. Take justice to the doorsteps of people. The technology divide should not leave any segment of our society behind,”
He concluded by stressing that students play a crucial role in educating their communities and can be the torchbearers of transformation.