Justice DY Chandrachud retired as the Chief Justice of India (CJI) on Friday after holding the position for nearly two years. He took office on November 9, 2022, and had been a Supreme Court judge since 2016. Throughout his tenure, he played a key role in several landmark cases that sparked significant attention and, at times, controversy. He has been part of several important rulings, including declaring the Electoral Bond policy unconstitutional, decriminalising Section 377, and facilitating the construction of the historic Ram temple in Ayodhya. 


Here are a few landmark judgments that Justice Chandrachud has been part of: 

1.Electoral Bonds Case
A five-judge bench of the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, declared the electoral bonds scheme unconstitutional on February 15, 2024. In his ruling, Justice Chandrachud emphasised that political donations grant contributors a "seat at the table," which in turn allows them to influence policymaking.

2. Decriminalising Section 377
A five-judge Constitution Bench decriminalised homosexuality by striking down the relevant portion of IPC Section 377 in August 2018. The judgment affirmed that LGBTQ individuals are entitled to equal rights as citizens and emphasised that the law cannot discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender.

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3. Ram Mandir Verdict
In November 2019, a five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, delivered a unanimous verdict on the Ayodhya land dispute. The Court ruled that the entire disputed land be handed over to a trust for the construction of a Ram temple. The Court also directed the Uttar Pradesh government to provide an alternate five-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board for the construction of a mosque. 

4. Lifting ban on women in Sabarimala
The Supreme Court overturned a regulation that barred girls and women between the ages of 10 and 50 from entering the Sabarimala temple in Kerala in September 2018. The Constitution bench, led by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, declared that the temple's restriction violated women's right to equality and freedom of worship. Justice Chandrachud, a member of the bench, referred to the practice as a form of "untouchability" that could not be permitted under the Constitution.

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5. Decriminalisation of Adultery
In September 2018, a five-judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra delivered four separate but agreeing opinions, ruling that adultery is not a criminal offense. Justice Chandrachud stated that Section 497 of the IPC was unconstitutional as it infringed upon Articles 14, 15, and 21 of the Indian Constitution.

6. Private Property
In a significant decision on November 5, the Supreme Court ruled that not all private property can be classified as a "material resource of the community" for redistribution under Article 39(b) of the Constitution.