DY Chandrachud refutes claims of praying to god before Ayodhya Ram Mandir judgment, says ‘completely incorrect’

Former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud recently refuted claims that he had prayed to god to provide him with guidance regarding the Ayodhya Ram Temple verdict in 2019, emphasising that his prayer and faith teaches him to be evenhanded in judgments.

Appearing on BBC's HARDtalk earlier this week, Chandrachud told journalist Stephen Sackur that claims of him praying to god before passing the judgment were 'incorrect'.

“It's completely incorrect. That's incorrect. That's what has been said in a part of the social media. If you look at social media and try to derive what was said by a judge from social media, you'll get the wrong answers,” he said.

Sackur was referring to an alleged statement of the ex-CJI in October 2024, before his retirement. 

“Very often we have cases but we don’t arrive at a solution. Something similar happened during the Ayodhya which was in front of me for three months. I sat before the deity and told him he needs to find a solution,” he reportedly told a gathering at his native Kanhersar village.

A five-judge bench headed by Ranjan Gogoi in November 2019 paved the way for construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on the site of the now-demolished Babri Masjid. Chandrachud was part of the bench.

Judicial creativity not just about skill, but perception too

Talking to Sackur, Chandrachud said that while he is a man of faith, the Indian Constitution does not require one to be an atheist to become a judge.

“I make no bones of the fact that I'm a man of faith. Our Constitution does not require you to be an atheist to be an independent judge and I value my faith,” he said.

“But what my faith teaches me is the universality of religion. Irrespective of who comes to you as a litigant, you dispense equal and evenhanded justice,” Chandrachud added.

The 65-year-old said that judicial creativity is about perception as well.

“Judicial creativity is not just about intellectual ability and skill. It's also about perception. And we work in areas of conflict. We work in areas of intense conflict. Now within that area of conflict, how do you find a sense of calm, of equanimity? Different judges have different ways to approach that need for calm and equanimity,” he said.

Chandrachud told the BBC journalist that his faith teaches him to be equal to every religious group and community.

“For me, my time in meditation and prayer is very important. But my time in meditation and prayer teaches me to be evenhanded to every religious group and community in the country.”