Former Supreme Court judge alleges ex-Chief Justice Chandrachud was overly deferential to government in judicial appointments

Sanjay Kishan Kaul, a retired Supreme Court judge, alleges in his upcoming memoir that former Chief Justice DY Chandrachud was unusually accommodating to the Indian government during judicial appointments. Kaul writes that Chandrachud once sought the government's "nod" before the Collegium formally considered a candidate and that the government raised unusual questions about a nominee's caste and minority faith. He recounts a episode where Chandrachud added a sixth name to a list of five agreed-upon vacancies, apparently at the government's suggestion, which the other judges opposed.

Kaul says the tension peaked over the minority-faith candidate, with the government asking whether more representation was needed and probing the candidate's family caste. He criticizes this as undermining the Collegium's independence, suggesting the chief justice could have simply appointed judges himself. Chandrachud responded that he cannot comment until he has read the book but emphasized that his collegial meetings have been respectful and constructive. The memoir will be published later this month.