Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul on his memoir ‘Without Fear or Favour ‘and the executive’s growing influence over the collegium system

Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul Judge of Supreme Court of India, in New Delhi. | Photo Credit: Sandeep Saxena

Few judges have offered as candid an account of the inner workings of India’s higher judiciary as former Supreme Court judge Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul. In his memoir, Without Fear or Favour (Juggernaut), he reflects on a judicial career spanning over two decades, offering a ringside view of the politics surrounding judicial appointments, the executive’s growing influence over the collegium system, and the quiet power struggles simmering beneath the judiciary’s institutional facade.

The memoir also offers a rare glimpse into the deliberations preceding some of the apex court’s most consequential judgments in recent years and the dilemmas confronting judges when called upon to reconcile competing interests. In an interview at his residence in New Delhi, the veteran jurist reflects on the need for systemic reforms and the challenges of preserving judicial independence.

Published - November 01, 2026 05:00 am IST