New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday said that the annual Puri Rath Yatra can be conducted but with certain riders. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde passed the order.
The Supreme Court indicated Monday it would allow Puri’s Rath Yatra, scheduled to start June 23. However, the apex court said it cannot ‘micro-manage’ the rituals and left it to the wisdom of state, the Centre and temple management to deal with that issue.
The bench also comprising Justices Dinesh Maheswari and AS Bopanna was informed by the Centre that Rath Yatra can be conducted without compromising on citizen’s health and with co-operation of state and temple trust.
The top court said it is considering the issue of conducting Rath Yatra in Puri only and not at other places in Odisha.
Chief Justice Bobde, who presided over the hearing through video conferencing from his Nagpur residence, said that order will be made public after some time.
Earlier the much awaited hearing on the fate of the Rath Yatra in Puri started in the Supreme Court after review petition was filed.
Opening the proceedings Monday, the CJI said the apex court can’t compromise on the public health and safety. However, during the hearing CJI Bobde also indicated that that Supreme Court is willing to modify its order and allow only Rath Yatra in the holy city.
The CJI pointed out that the Supreme Court will ‘not do any micro management of the iconic Rath Yatra. “We will leave it to the best wisdom of the responsible state government,” CJI Bobde said.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta — representing the Centre — submitted to the bench that the suggestions made by Jagatguru Shankaracharya and Gajapati Maharaja are prudent and the Rath Yatra may be allowed to go on with certain conditions attached.
Senior Advocate Harish Salve appearing for Odisha, told the bench that if necessary curfew will be imposed in Puri to prevent mass gathering. He said the Rath Yatra will be conducted only by the servitors. He added that those participating in the Rath Yatra will also have to undergo coronavirus tests.
Modifying its June 18 order in which it had said that this year’s Rath Yatra cannot be allowed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the apex court permitted holding of the car festival after taking note of Odisha government’s stand that it “can be held in a limited way without public attendance’.
The bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde directed the Odisha government to impose curfew in the Puri City during the time when the chariots are taken out in the procession. It is an event in which lakhs of people from the world over participate every year.
The bench, also comprising Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and AS Bopanna, said that each chariot would to be pulled by no more than 500 people and all of them have to be tested for coronavirus. It also directed that those engaged in pulling chariot shall maintain social distancing before, during and after the Rath Yatra.
“Indeed, if it is possible to ensure that there is no public attendance, we see no reason why the Rath Yatra cannot be conducted safely along its usual route from temple to temple,” the bench said in its order.
PNN