'NYT was completely wrong': Ex-CJI Chandrachud debunks myth of India becoming one-party state

Former Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud on Wednesday refuted claims that India was moving towards a one-party state and said that the 2024 elections debunked this myth. In an interview with the BBC, the former CJI specifically addressed assertions by The New York Times, calling them incorrect.

"I think that The New York Times was completely wrong because they were not able to anticipate what would happen in the elections which took place in 2024, which, if at all, completely debunks the myth that we are moving towards a one-party state," he said.

Chandrachud highlighted India’s political diversity, pointing to the success of regional parties across various states. "If you look at the states in India, the states are where regional aspirations and identities have come to the fore. So many of our states have regional political parties that have done exceptionally well, and they are ruling those states," he explained.

To a question on the Gujarat High Court's upholding of opposition leader Rahul Gandhi's conviction in a defamation case, Chandrachud clarified that the top court's intervention ensured that justice was served.

When asked that HC's decision itself demonstrated there was a problem with the courts being used for political purposes, the former CJI said: "No, it actually looks at what kind of the spectrum you're looking at. If you look at the fact that, there is a decision of a trial court in India, but that judgment of the trial court was stayed by the Supreme Court, which meant that the political leader in question that you're talking about would resume his activity in Parliament."
 
Chandrachud rejected the accusations that Indian courts were influenced by the government. "It's to the contrary. If you look at the number of people who have been granted their liberty and bail, you’ll see how due process and the rule of law govern our system." He provided specific data to back his point, adding, "Last year, twenty-one thousand bail applications were filed in the Supreme Court. The court disposed of twenty-one thousand three hundred bail applications. I’m not going to name political leaders who have been granted bail, but this indicates that due process of law is being followed."

"The higher courts, particularly the Supreme Court, have sent out a clear message that we are here to safeguard personal liberties. This is the reason why we have so much faith from our people," he said.

Chandrachud, who served as India’s 50th Chief Justice from November 2022 to November 2024, left a lasting legacy in the Indian judiciary. During his tenure, he delivered several landmark judgments, including the Ayodhya land dispute, abrogation of Article 370, and the decriminalisation of consensual gay sex. He was part of 38 constitution benches and delivered over 500 judgments, many with far-reaching social and legal implications.