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Synopsis

Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal, while speaking at a press conference today, said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should not have shown any interest in attending the Ganesh Puja at Chief Justice Of India DY Chandrachud's home.

Sibal, who is also the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president, also extended his request to the Prime Minister not to make a spectacle of such private events. 

He said, "I request the Prime Minister of India not to make a spectacle of private events. There have been chief justice from Maharashtra in the past. It's not the first time that there is a chief justice from Maharashtra. In the context that there is going to be an election in Maharashtra, this is not an opportune time for the Prime Minister to have made a public spectacle of a private ceremony".

Sibal said that he was "taken aback" seeing the news of PM Modi attending the Ganesh Puja at CJI's residence in the morning.

He said, "I have been in the Supreme Court and this institution for over fifty years. I have seen the greatest of judges, both past and present, and we are passionate about the institution, not passionate about any individual, but about the institution. I have great respect for the present Chief Justice of India. I can say without any hesitation that he is a man of great personal integrity. But I was really surprised when I saw this clip that was going viral, and I have some issues".

He then went on to list the reasons for his objection to the publication of the ceremony at CJI's home.

He said the Prime Minister of India should never have attended the event. "Those who must have consulted him, should and must have told him that this will send a wrong signal. Because the issue is not about an individual. The issue is what impact such a thing has on the minds of people and if there is gossip around it,  then it is not fair on the institution", he stressed. 

On September 11, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the Ganpati Puja celebrations at the residence of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud in Delhi.

The event sparked strong reactions from opposition leaders and some Supreme Court lawyers. Senior advocate Indira Jaising criticized the Prime Minister’s presence, stating on X that the Chief Justice had blurred the lines between the executive and judiciary.

According to media reports, the Shiv Sena (UBT) voiced concerns, suggesting that such a gathering could raise public doubts about the judiciary’s impartiality. In response, the BJP defended the visit, stating that it was solely for the Ganpati Puja and emphasized that such events are "a part of our culture."