Sanjay Kishan Kaul says former Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud was too deferential to the government when filling six Supreme Court vacancies in June 2022, a claim he will detail in his forthcoming memoir.
Kaul recounts that five names were pre‑agreed upon before the collegium convened; Chandrachud then floated a sixth candidate, which Kaul rejected, alleging the CJI had consulted the government beforehand.
The judge argues that this pre‑approval erodes the collegium’s autonomy and that the practice of discussing appointments with the government before formal deliberation is a breach of the judiciary’s mandate.
Congress leaders, including Jairam Ramesh, seized on Kaul’s revelations to highlight perceived executive interference, demanding that the Supreme Court’s appointment process remain insulated from political influence.
With the memoir set to hit the shelves next month, lawmakers will likely convene a hearing to examine the allegations, and the judiciary could face pressure to amend its collegium system to restore public confidence.