Good Friday controversy: CJI mum on Justice Joseph's objections

Amid the controversy over Justice Kurian Joseph’s objection to holding of the All India Chief Justices’ Conference on Good Friday, Chief Justice of India HL Dattu on Saturday dismissed media reports that a second Supreme Court judge had also raised a similar concern.

Amid the controversy over Justice Kurian Joseph’s objection to holding of the All India Chief Justices’ Conference on Good Friday, Chief Justice of India HL Dattu on Saturday dismissed media reports that a second Supreme Court judge had also raised a similar concern.

"There was no confrontation nor any objection from Justice Sen… This was wrongly reported,” the CJI said at the reception hosted by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) to felicitate the apex court judges and Chief Justices of 24 High Courts attending the three-day conference.

"There was no communication from Justice Sen regarding any disagreement with regard to the conference and it is wrongly reported by media," Justice Dattu said.

Asked if he would attend the dinner hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Justice Dattu said, "His majesty has invited us and why won't I go? I am definitely attending Prime Minister's dinner tonight".

He, however, refused to comment on the objections raised by Justice Joseph. "No comments," Justice Dattu said.

Justice Joseph had written to the Prime Minister expressing his inability to attend the dinner for top judges Saturday night. He had said that equal importance and respect should be shown to the sacred days of all religions which were declared national holidays.

Former SC judge Justice KT Thomas, however, did not agree with Justice Joseph saying "Public duty should come first”. He said that there was nothing wrong in convening a meeting of Chief Justices on Good Friday. He noted that in 2007, the conference was held on Good Friday too.