JOIN USChief Justice of India (CJI) Justice H L Dattu on Monday defended the decision of holding the conference of high court (HC) chief justices on Good Friday.
Sidestepping opposition from the Christian community, a bench of CJI Dattu and Justice A K Mishra said the decision was taken to ensure that work in 24 HCs was not affected. The bench said such conferences had been held on national holidays in the past, too.
Good Friday, the day of crucifixion of Jesus Christ, is a declared holiday in the country. The CJI is slated to inaugurate the three-day conference on April 3. Advocate Lily Thomas raised the issue on Monday, saying the State has recognised Good Friday as a national holiday, so the chief justices’ conference should not be held then.
The CJI, however, responded: “In 2007, we had the judges' conference on Good Friday, and in 2009 it was held on Independence Day, a national holiday...nobody had any grievance. Is it because I am CJI? What happened to spirituality back then?”
There has never been objection to conferences on holidays, the bench observed.