Chief Justice of India Justice H.L. Dattu on Monday appeared firm on going ahead with the conference of High Court chief justices beginning here on Good Friday, notwithstanding opposition from the Christian community.
As Good Friday is a declared holiday in the country, the Christian community has called for a rethink on having the conference on that day. The issue was raised by advocate Lily Thomas, who orally mentioned it before a Supreme Court Bench headed by Chief Justice Dattu and Justice A.K. Mishra.
Ms. Thomas said Good Friday was a holy day of high spiritual significance and the State has recognised it as a national holiday. So the chief justices’ conference should not be held on this day, she said.
The Chief Justice said the conference has been held on national holidays before, including Good Friday.
“In 2007, we had the judges’ conference on Good Friday and in 2009 it was held on Independence Day, which is a national holiday. In 2004, it was held on Valmiki Day,” he said.
“The purpose of holding this conference is that 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.
There has never been any objection for holding the conference on holidays, the Bench added. However, the court told Ms. Thomas that she was at liberty to file a proper petition if she still had any grievance.
