Jasti Chelameswar on Constitutional Interpretation and Judicial Independence

Today my guest is Justice Jasti Chelameswar, who is a former justice of the Supreme Court of India. Prior to his elevation, he served as chief justice in High Courts in Gauhati and Kerala and as a justice in the Andhra Pradesh High Court.  We spoke about his judgments on electoral qualifications, judicial conduct, transparency in judicial appointments, the constitutional right to privacy, separation of powers, and how dissent shapes constitutional interpretation, and much more. Recorded February 25th, 2025. Read a full transcript enhanced with helpful links. Connect with Ideas of India Follow us on X Follow Shruti on X Click here for the latest Ideas of India episodes sent straight to your inbox. Timestamps 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:27 - Election Law Cases 00:17:15 - Process of Writing Opinions 00:25:38 - Misconduct of Judicial Officers 00:31:34 - NJAC Opinion 00:44:47 - Fundamental Right to Privacy 01:06:29 - Death Penalty Matters 01:15:36 - Outro