SC dismisses all petitions, refuses to intrude with Odisha govt’s determination concerning Ratha Yatra

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court dismissed all petitions filed by varied individuals and organizations, difficult a choice of the Odisha authorities to disallow the Ratha Yatra festivals in varied temples throughout the state within the mild of the Covid-19 scenario with an exception granted to Puri Jagannath Ratha Yatra, experiences Bar and Bench.
Hearing a batch of petitioners searching for the Supreme Court’s intervention within the Odisha authorities’s order, the apex courtroom mentioned it might not intrude with an Odisha authorities order limiting this 12 months’s Rath Yatra to the Puri Jagannath Temple solely.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana mentioned although the federal government felt unhealthy concerning the authorities order, it’s a coverage determination by the state, and the judiciary can’t intrude because it lacks experience on such points. Earlier, the Orissa High Court had handed an order on June 23, 2021, declining to intrude with the state authorities’s determination.
“You and I are not the people who can predict the Covid-19 situation. Don’t poke your knowledge into this matter. Let the government decide,” the CJI mentioned.
CJI: you and I usually are not the individuals who can predict the covid19 scenario. don’t poke your information into this matter. Let the federal government resolve.— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) July 6, 2021
The Odisha authorities had earlier permitted Rath Yatra solely at Puri below strict Covid protocols and allowed rituals inside the temple premises of all different Jagannath temples throughout the state. In mild of this order, a number of different temple trusts, organizations, and people had filed petitions requesting the courtroom to permit them to prepare comparable Rath Yatras.
The petitioners had mentioned denying permission to them could be a “clear case of discrimination and as such violative of Article 14 read with Article 25”.
Another utility by Bhanja Sena states that if first Shrikshetra Puri temple is allowed to watch #RathYatra then not permitting the Dwitiya Shrikshetra, Baripada Lord Jagannath temple “is a clear case of discrimination and as such violative of Article 14 read with Article 25”— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) July 6, 2021
In response to the petition, the Odisha authorities knowledgeable the Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana, saying it might be not possible for them to make sure observance of strict Covid protocol in hundreds of Jagannath temples throughout the state.
Impossible to keep up Covid protocols in different cities with Jagannath temples: Odisha govt
Odisha authorities’s consultant submitted earlier than the courtroom that the Puri Jagannath Temple Ratha Yatra was held final 12 months by inserting Puri metropolis below curfew. This 12 months too, the chariots will likely be pulled by 500 individuals who have examined damaging in RT-PCR, and all entry factors to Puri metropolis will likely be closed.
Advocate General Ashok Parija additionally said that it’s not possible for the state authorities to keep up comparable situations in all the opposite Jagannath temples throughout the state.
Hearing the arguments, CJI Ramana mentioned that he too is a devotee of Lord Jagannath and has been visiting the Puri temple yearly, until the Covid pandemic began.
Want to hope God, do it from house, watch Ratha Yatra on TV: CJI
The Chief Justice additionally remarked, “You want to pray to God. You can do it from home. I also wanted to go to Puri but I couldn’t in the last one and half years. This isn’t the time”.
“But the situation is such that I have to pray from a distance. If Rath Yatra is permitted, it will be the devotees who could suffer, and we don’t want to take the risk,” he mentioned.
CJI: I additionally go to puri yearly however haven’t gone because the final 1.5 years. I do puja at house. If you need to go to Haridwar, you may pray at house too. Govt has taken a thought of determination. #supremecourt #rathyatra— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) July 6, 2021
Dismissing the petitions, Chief Justice NV Ramana noticed, “Last year few people died, this year many people died due to Covid. I also feel bad, but we cannot do anything. We hope and trust god will allow next Ratha Yatra at least”.
The Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath in Puri is an annual pageant which often gathers lakhs of devotees from the world over. Last 12 months, it was held below strict Covid protocols and this 12 months, the state authorities has permitted Ratha Yatra solely in Puri Jagannath temple below comparable restrictions.
Odisha has lots of of Jagannath temples the place annual Ratha Yatra is widely known with a lot fervour and enthusiasm often. Covid restrictions have curbed most spiritual celebrations since 2020.