Row over PM Modi’s visit to Chief Justice's home

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud’s residence for Ganpati Puja has sparked a row, with the Opposition questioning the transparency in the judiciary system and its code of conduct. Countering the attacks, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) maintained that the visit was restricted to celebrating the Ganpati festivities together and that it was a part of our culture.

The row started after Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said a "custodian of the Constitution" meeting politicians could raise doubts in the minds of people. He also advised CJI Chandrachud to recuse himself from the case where the Uddhav Thackeray camp had challenged the Maharashtra Speaker's decision to recognise the Eknath Shinde-led faction as the real Shiv Sena.

In a post on X, the Rajya Sabha MP said the Constitution was set on fire. He also listed recent cases where the court has ruled against the leaders of the Opposition, saying, "One should understand the chronology to understand all such cases."

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also took potshots at the judiciary. "After the festivities are over, hopefully, the CJI will deem fit and be slightly freer to conclude the hearing on Maharashtra and the blatant disregard of Article 10 of the Constitution in Maharashtra. Oh wait, elections are round the corner anyway, it can be adjourned for another day," Chaturvedi tweeted.

In a video, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla slammed Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi and other members of the INDI Alliance for politicising the Prime Minister’s visit to the CJI’s house.

Reprimanding her, Poonawalla said, “The most shocking, despicable, and deplorable comment has been made by Priyanka Chaturvedi, and members of the INDI Alliance when she alludes and imputes motive to Chief Justice of India, Chandrachud Ji. His crime is that Prime Minister Modi visited his residence on the occasion of Ganesh Puja, which everyone does, during the time of Ganesh Chaturthi, we all go to each other’s house and this is a part of our culture and sanskriti.”

National organising secretary of the BJP, BL Santhosh, also attacked the Opposition, who is making a hue and cry about the Prime Minister’s visit.

His post came as a response to senior advocate and former Additional Solicitor General (ASG), Indira Jaising, who, on the social media platform, said the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) should condemn PM Modi’s visit to the CJI’s residence. “Chief Justice of India has compromised the separation of powers between the Executive and Judiciary,” Jaising’s X post read.

Senior Supreme Court lawyer, Prashant Bhushan, in an X post, said, “Shocking that CJI Chandrachud allowed Modi to visit him at his residence for a private meeting. Sends a very bad signal to the judiciary which is tasked with the responsibility of protecting the fundamental right of citizens from the executive & ensuring that the govt acts within the bounds of the Constitution.” He added, “That is why there has to be an arms-length separation between the executive & judiciary,”

In a video, Chandrachud and his wife, Kalpana Das, were seen welcoming Modi at their house on Wednesday. The Prime Minister was seen participating in the puja at their residence.