Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud sought forgiveness for those he might have hurt unintentionally on his final day as the CJI on Friday. Addressing a courtroom filled with colleagues and members of the legal fraternity, CJI Chandrachud said,  “Last evening, when my registrar judicial asked me about the ceremonial timing, I was told 2 pm because we can wrap a lot of items. I thought to myself, will anybody be there in this court at 2 pm Friday afternoon. Or will I look at myself on the screen?”

He recalled his early days as a lawyer when he learnt the valuable courtroom techniques. “We are here as pilgrims to work, and the work we do can make or break cases. There have been great judges who have adorned this court and passed on this baton,” he noted.

“There is not going to be any difference when I leave this court because a person as stable as Justice Khanna will take over and is so dignified,” he added. “When you ask me what keeps you going, it is this, what kept me going. It is the journey of judgeship. I thank each one of you, and all of you taught me so much about law and life. I learnt so much about life today also in the 45 cases dealt by me,” he said. 

“If I ever hurt any one of you, I would like to say forgive me for anything which I didn’t intend to or hurt you,” he said.

Chief Justice Chandrachud’s tenure, which began on November 8, 2022, concluded on November 8, 2024. He has penned over 500 judgments, including judgments such as the Ayodhya land dispute, the abrogation of Article 370 and the decriminalisation of consensual gay sex. 

Justice Chandrachud followed in the footsteps of his father Y V Chandrachud, who served as the CJI with the longest tenure between 1978 and 1985.