Outgoing Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on Friday shared a heartwarming story about his father's advice to him on maintaining integrity in his life. While speaking during a farewell function organised in his honour by Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), CJI Chandrachud said his father, former CJI (late) YV Chandrachud, bought a small flat in Pune and asked him to keep it until the last day of his tenure as a judge.
Sharing why he was asked to do so, Justice Chandrachud said his father wanted him to feel that he had a roof over his head, which would not let him stray away from holding onto the moral and intellectual integrity as he moved forward in life. He advised him to never compromise as a lawyer or as a judge "because you have no place of your own".
"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. 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. Never allow yourself to be compromised either as a lawyer or as a judge because you have no place of your own," Justice Chandrachud said.
Justice YV Chandrachud was the longest-serving chief justice of India. Justice DY Chandrachud's tenure ended on November 8 and he will now be succeeded by Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who will take over as the next CJI on November 11.