Democracy Is Not Just About Numbers: CJI DY Chandrachud

Public trust is crucial for the judiciary, which is not directly accountable to the public like elected representatives. Speaking at the Jigme Singye Wangchuk lecture series in Bhutan, CJI DY Chandrachud emphasized that judges must foster this trust by ensuring fairness in legal process and maintaining transparency.

"Every single step of this journey is an opportunity to foster public trust and gain legitimacy. Not only judicial decisions but also the roads leading up to them, must be transparent, navigable by everyone with or without a legal education and must be broad enough to accommodate everyone," said CJI Chandrachud, he said.

Touching about the aspect of democratic accountability, Justice Chandrachud asserted that democracy is not just about numbers. 

"Last evening I had the privilege of meeting the Prime Minister of Bhutan. Two members of Parliament, including the present Prime Minister of Bhutan, moved the Supreme Court to ensure constitutional legitimacy in enactment of Money Bills. This account is a reminder to the contemporary world that while popular majorities define who is in government, the task of ensuring democratic accountability is a wider constitutional project," he asserted.