Was trolled for shifting seating position: Chief Justice Chandrachud

Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud on Saturday recalled a recent incident of him facing 'trolling' and 'vicious abuse' for adjusting his seating position, during a hearing due to a discomfort.

The Chief Justice narrated the incident during an event in Bengaluru.

He said he was trolled recently based on the live-streaming of an important hearing.

"Just four or five days ago when I was hearing a case, I had a little pain in back, so all that I did was I placed my elbows in my armchair in the court and I just shifted my position in the chair," Justice Chandrachud said.

He said there were several comments on the social media which alleged that the Chief Justice of India is "so arrogant" that he got up in the midst an important argument in court.

"What they didn't tell you was that all he did was only to shift his position in the chair. 24 years of judging can be a little strenuous which I have put in. I didn't leave the court. I only shifted my position but I was subject to vicious abuse, trolling, the knives were out but I do believe that our shoulders are broad enough and the ultimate confidence which we have is of common citizens in the work which we do,” he noted.

The Chief Justice also highlighted the need for judicial officers to manage stress and ensure work-life balance.

As judicial officers they regularly engage with vulnerable litigants. Many of the people who come to the courts are stressed about the injustice caused to them, he said.

"Sometimes in their dealings with us as judges, they cross the line. As Chief Justice of India, I see so many lawyers and litigants crossing the line when they speak to us in the court. The answer when these litigants cross the line is not to use the power of contempt (of court), but to understand why they have crossed the line," Justice Chandrachud said.

He said there must be some deep rooted injustice which the lawyers and their clients were confronting, which is why they sometimes utter things which they otherwise would not say.

"In these context, the responsibility you carry is immense, necessitating a calm and compassionate approach. Maintaining a work-life balance is integral to fulfilling these duties effectively," he advised the judicial officers.

A judge who was overwhelmed with work and unable to prioritise personal time with family and self care may struggle to perform optimally, Justice Chandrachud said.

"The ability to manage stress and achieve work life balance is not separate from but rather intertwined with delivering justice completely. We often tell physicians and surgeons, 'heal thyself'. Before you heal others, you must learn how to heal yourself. The same is true about judges as well," he underlined.

(with PTI inputs)

Also watch: Media should not become battleground for partisan politics: Vice President Dhankhar