"You Don't Look At Your Earnings In Becoming A Judge, It Is Tremendous Job Satisfaction To Provide Permanent Commission For 365 Lady Officers": Justice Chandrachud

"I have never thought twice about my choice (of moving to the bench from the bar). You see the kind of work that we do, it is mostly routine work, especially on Mondays and Fridays. But in the life of a judge, it is about the tremendous satisfaction that we get from the job", remarked Justice DY Chandrachud on Tuesday.The comment came in the course of the matter regarding grant of Permanent Commission to women in the Armed Forces. Justice Chandrachud had asked Senior Advocate Colonel R. Balasubramanian, appearing for the armed forces, who has retired from the Army's JAG department, if he preferred the services or the practice. The same question was also asked of Senior Advocate P. S. Patwalia, who had resigned as a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2006."I remember it was just a year ago, a little before the lock down, that I was dictating the judgement (for consideration of women for PC at par with their male counterparts). As an outcome of this case, 365 lady officers have received PC! This gives a great sense of satisfaction for a judge. And it is not just about these numbers, it is the opening of a new public space for women to be equal members of the workforce!", expressed Justice Chandrachud."Of course, as a lawyer you can take off when you want, you have the freedom to live your life a little differently. This is what is missed from your days as a lawyer. (Being a judge) might appear like term time, like one is doing the same thing every day. But judgeship is something which grows on you. I have never regretted my choice for even one moment...", he added.#CourtroomExchange Supreme Court Bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah converse during the hearing for Permanent Commission for women Army officers. Justice Chandrachud: There's a tremendous amount of satisfaction in being a Judge.— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) March 9, 2021 "You don't look at your earnings when you become a judge. You just want to be financially comfortable enough to ensure that your children are educated, your family liabilities and commitments are met", continued Justice Chandrachud."Even the young lawyers, who are not inclined towards becoming judges, do not feel this way because of the decline in earnings which is believed to follow. It has more to do with the continuous grind of this profession. I spoke to young lawyers while in Bombay and they told me that they look at me sitting in the court day in and day out and that they did not want to do this. So it is about the temperament", said the judge.Justice M. R. Shah also concurred- "It is about the job satisfaction. This is something which advocates do not have because you are pleading only for your client. We have the satisfaction of having done something for the society ""During my days at the Gujarat High Court, 23,500 retired primary teachers benefitted from one order of mine. I received a letter from a widow in the rural area. It contained only one sentence- 'Justice is still alive'. This is the kind of satisfaction that we get", continued Justice Shah.Justice Chandrachud continued to commend advocates on their role in the justice dispensation system- "We look at the lawyers from this side. A judgement is as good as the efforts made by the bar at their end. There is tremendous power a lawyer wields in developing a particular vision for the court. Of course, when we look at the pros and cons, we might think differently"

"You Don't Look At Your Earnings In Becoming A Judge, It Is Tremendous Job Satisfaction To Provide Permanent Commission For 365 Lady Officers": Justice Chandrachud

Mehal Jain & Radhika Roy

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