Former Supreme Court judge Justice Jasti Chelameswar was known to be a man of candour even as a sitting judge, and this was on display during the recent Wayanad Literature Festival held in December 2024..In a talk with Member of Parliament John Brittas on the topic Court and Politics, Justice Chelameswar gave a very brief but sarcastic response to a question about the stance of former CJI DY Chandrachud on the Places of Worship Act. "Justice Chandrachud and his colleagues as part of Constitution Bench in 2019 say that Places of Worship Act is sacrosanct and the same judge in 2022 says that the judgment does not prevent anybody from digging up or doing a survey. Now there is litigation of at least 11 places and it has created riots in many places. How do you view this?" Brittas asked Justice Chelameshwar. "You have been referring to one particular individual's name. I don't think it is worth spending so much of time on that name," Justice Chelameswar replied..I don't think it is worth spending so much of time on that name.Justice Jasti Chelameswar.He also spoke about the ideological and political inclination of judges creeping into their judicial duties."Partisan politics which are so blatant. There was an instance when a judge spoke highly about an organisation, quit his job, joined a political party, contested elections and came to Lok Sabha. Another judge, Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav, attends a cultural organisation's meet, he makes inflammable statements. Do you think the system is, the values are getting eroded? Do you appreciate these things in the name of having political awareness?" Brittas asked."Certainly not. I may have my own political preferences. But once I sat in that chair, I believe, subject to contrary opinion from public, that my political affiliations or past affiliations did not interfere with my decision making. If somebody is not following it, I certainly don't agree that is the right way. The right way is to keep it (political preferences) away," he said..[Watch Full Video]
