Kapil Sibal Criticizes Publicisation of Ganesh Puja at CJI's Residence

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal has criticized the public dissemination of a private Ganesh Puja event at Chief Justice DY Chandrachud's residence, attended by Prime Minister Modi. Sibal claims the event's publicity could fuel unnecessary speculation, impacting the judiciary's integrity. He urges officials to avoid making private ceremonies public.

Senior Advocate and Supreme Court Bar Association President Kapil Sibal criticized the public dissemination of a private event held at the residence of the Chief Justice, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The event, a Ganesh Puja ceremony at Chief Justice DY Chandrachud's home, took place on Wednesday and sparked outrage from opposition figures.

During a press conference in Delhi on Thursday, Sibal commented, "I have been in the Supreme Court and this institution for over 50 years. I have seen the greatest of judges, both past and present. We are passionate about the institution, not any individual. I have great respect for the President and Chief Justice. He's a man of great personal integrity. However, I was surprised to see that this clip went viral. I have some principled concerns." He hinted that the Chief Justice might have been unaware of the event's public exposure.

Sibal added, "No public functionary, especially those holding the highest offices such as the President, Prime Minister, and the Chief Justice, should publicize a private event. I'm sure the Chief Justice may not have known this was being publicized." He noted that the public sharing of the event could send the wrong message and lead to unwanted speculation.

"The Prime Minister should never have shown interest in attending a private event. It sends a wrong signal," said Sibal, stressing that the issue is not about individuals but the message such a clip sends to the public.

He emphasized, "If there's gossip around it, it's unfair to the institution. You shouldn't allow situations where people can speculate." Sibal urged the importance of maintaining the privacy of such events to avoid "unnecessary and harmful" debates about the institution.

"My religious beliefs and their expression are private matters, not public ones. No videography or photographs should be made public in such contexts, especially involving top officials," he stressed. "Such actions ignite unnecessary debates harmful to the institution. Even unmotivated acts can spark speculation," he added.

Sibal expressed concerns about how such events affect the judiciary at all levels. "The court decides on executive actions daily. Circulating such clips may have unfair implications on individuals and harm the institution. It sends a wrong signal to the judiciary at various levels," he explained.

Sibal urged the Prime Minister to avoid making a spectacle of private events: "My view is that this should have been avoided. I request the media not to speculate about personal motives and the Prime Minister not to make a spectacle of these events. Chief Justices from Maharashtra in the past did not face this."

Given the upcoming elections in Maharashtra, Sibal added, "This was not the right time for the Prime Minister to make a public spectacle of a private ceremony." He clarified that he spoke in a personal capacity, not as the Bar Association President: "I have not discussed this with any Bar members. My conscience compelled me to make a statement individually."

(With inputs from agencies.)