CJs conclave talks on finance and pendency issues

Chief Justices of 24 high courts converged here to discuss with the top judiciary issues concerning financial independence, computerisation and pendency of cases among others, in a two-day conference that began on Friday.

The conference began in the Supreme Court here with the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice H L Dattu and other judges participating in deliberation on topics ranging from the need for re-examination of judicial values, review of selection process of judges at all levels to salary and retirement benefits.

With 2.64 crore undecided cases in the subordinate courts and 42 lakh in the high courts, expeditious disposal of cases, fast-tracking of cases against women and corruption matters were the other highlights of the conference.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate a joint conference of chief justices and chief ministers on April 5.

The CJI went ahead with the event amid opposition from a colleague, Justice Kurian Joseph. He objected to holding the conference on Good Friday which is a national holiday.

In a letter to the CJI last month, Justice Joseph said: “I may with deep anguish bring to your kind notice that such an important conference should not have been held when some of us, otherwise expected to be part of the event, or otherwise committed on account of the holy days when we have religious ceremonies and family get-together as well.”

Maintaining that he was not striking a communal note, Justice Joseph said such serious programmes were not held during Diwali, Dussehra, Holi and Eid.

Justice Dattu, however, had hit back saying the question the justice had to ask himself, as he cannot ask the judge, is “whether it is institutional interest or individual interest that one should give preference to.”

The CJI got support from a former apex court judge Justice K T Thomas who asked why Christians cannot work on Good Friday.

“In America, where 98 per cent are Christians, Good Friday is a working day. Christians can attend Church service and go to work. But in India we are obsessed with holiday culture. I am totally opposed to this holiday mania that we suffer from,” Justice Thomas reportedly said.

Earlier, when the issue was raised before the court by a woman advocate Lily Thomas, Justice Dattu pointed out: “In 2007, we had the judges’ conference on the day of Good Friday and in 2009 it was held Independence Day, which is a national holiday. In 2004, it was held on Valmiki Jayanthi.”

“The purpose of holding this conference is that the work in high courts across the country is not affected as 24 chief justices would be attending this conference. Keeping this in mind, the judges took this decision,” the bench said.