No Institution is 100% Perfect in Democracy: CJI

New Delhi: No institution including the collegium system for appointment judges is a hundred per cent perfect in democracy, opined Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud on Friday. According to him, the solution is to work our way within the existing system.

As reported in India Today, while speaking at the Constitution Day celebration organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association, the CJI said, “No institution in a constitutional democracy is perfect. We work within the existing framework of the constitution and we are faithful soldiers who implement the Constitution. When we talk of imperfections, our solution is to work our way within the existing system.”

He further added that no institution is a hundred per cent perfect in democracy and the collegium system, which is followed for appointing judges, cannot be left out and the solution is to “work our way within the existing system.”

“Getting good people in judiciary is not just about reforming the collegium. Getting to be judge is not how much salary you give judges. However, high you pay judges it will be fraction of what lawyers make in one day,” he said while answering a question.

The CJI also mentioned an email he had received from women commanders in the Indian Navy, when he was suffering COVID-19 infection. According to the CJI, the e-mail was ‘You never met us in person, but the justice you did for us, we are praying for your recovery’. That is the greatest satisfaction of being a judge, the CJI said.