Bombay HC Directs UTs To Declare Good Friday As Gazetted Holiday [Read Order]

LIVELAW NEWS NETWORK

16 April 2019 3:43 PM GMT

  • Bombay HC Directs UTs To Declare Good Friday As Gazetted Holiday  [Read Order]

    "The easter eggs, the chocolate bunny and the easter sweets are awaited by all and sundry across the country"

    Christmas is celebrated with fervour by all and leads to integration of the nation, remarked Bombay High Court while directing the Administrators to declare Good Friday as a gazetted holiday in the Union Territory of Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli.Though Good Friday was included in the list of restricted holidays for these Union Territories, it was not a gazetted holiday....

    Christmas is celebrated with fervour by all and leads to integration of the nation, remarked Bombay High Court while directing the Administrators to declare Good Friday as a gazetted holiday in the Union Territory of Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

    Though Good Friday was included in the list of restricted holidays for these Union Territories, it was not a gazetted holiday. Anthony Francisco Duarte had approached the High Court by filing a public interest litigation aggrieved with this non-inclusion.

    The court was told that decision not to declare it as a gazetted holiday was taken considering the population of members of the Christian community in the Union Territory. In response to this submission, the bench comprising the Chief Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice NM Jamdar said:

    "Suffice it to state that the number of the members of a community should ordinarily not be the guiding factor in a multi-plural society. Christmas is celebrated with fervour by all and leads to integration of the nation. We find members of the society across caste, creed and religion celebrate Christmas. Similarly, the easter eggs, the chocolate bunny and the easter sweets are awaited by all and sundry across the country"

    The court also noted that considering the importance of Good Friday, most of the state Governments and Central Government have declared it as a gazetted holiday. 

    Good Friday is observed for commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

    Read Order


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