JUSTICE Y.

V
CHANDRACHUD
th
th
(12 july1920 14
july2008)
*16 th & Longest serving chief Justice of India for 7
years and 4 months.
*Popularly known as Iron hands after his well
regarded unwillingness to let anything slip past him.
*Has done remarkably well to lay his indelible mark
in the annals of Indian legal history.
*Emerged as the finest public prosecutor because of
his outstanding arguments in NANAVATIS case.

*HisLandmark Judgements which has

proved to be a milestone in the quest of
justice and equality among deprived
ones......
1. OLGA TELLIS CASE conduced a new approach to right to

life. Extension of concept right to life to right to live with

human dignity is the epoch making interpretation of
constitutional rights which paved way for humanistic approach
to law. His memorable words imprinted in all the books over
the world are- there can be no estoppel against the
constitution, the constitution is not only the paramount law of
the land , but it is the source of sustenance of all the laws. Its
provisions are conceived in public interest and are intended to
serve public purpose. right to life was widened enough so as to
bring the right to livelihood within the purview of right to life under
article 21 of constitution.

The Habeas Corpus Case

On 28th April 1976 the blackest day of Indian judiciary, justice

Chandrachud went further in his euology when he ended his

judgement stating: counsel after counsel expressed the fear that
during the emergency, the executive may whip and strip and starve
the detenue and if this be our judgement and can even shoots them
down. Such misdeeds have not only tarnished the records of free India
but also i have a diamond-bright, diamond- hard hope that such things
will never come to pass.
By preserving a presidential order that-no person has any locus to
move any writ petition under article 226 before a high court for habeas
corpus or any other writ or order or direction to challenge the legality
of an order of detention, he said- my apology does not restore the faith
of people in Indian judiciary. What happened in this case was not a
momentary lapse in the judgement. It was a disgrace to the supreme
court. There must be a transparency in the appointment of judges
through judicial commission in every stage of their appointment.

SHAH BANO CASE

Judgement delivered by justice Chandrachud became a

landmark one in muslim womens search for justice &

equality.
The judgement made waves all over the country which
was passed under section 125 of criminal procedure
code, 1973 that the destitute divorced wife is entitled
for maintenance after divorce, would be applicable to
Indian Muslim.
Also secular legislation to order maintenance
compensation to the divorced muslim women, later
modified by Rajiv Gandhi government by Muslim
women's Act 1986 which diluted the secular
judgement.

MINERVA MILLS CASE

He provided a key clarifications on the

interpretation of basic structure doctrine.

He ruled that power of the parliament of India
to amend the constitution is limited by the
constitution.
The parliament cannot exercise this limited
power to grant itself an unlimited power.
Parliament power to amend is not a power to
destroy.
Parliament cannot emasculate the
fundamental rights of individuals.