Cuttack: Following the High Court order the Odisha Government will take decision on opening of temples and other religious institutions in near future, said Law Minister Pratap Jena, Monday.
Notably, hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) Orissa High Court directed the state government to take its own decision on opening of the religious institutions which remained closed for devotees across the State in view of Covid-19 pandemic, Monday.
Following the order Jena said, “After the department will assess the COVID-19 situation across the state we will take decision on opening of religious institutions and issue fresh guidelines which will be followed in the religious institution places after their opening”.
Sources said a devotee from Puri Trilochan Rath had filed a PIL at High Court, August 3 seeking direction for immediate opening of Puri Shree Jagannath Temple and other shrines across the State.
He had made Centre, Odisha government, Chief Secretary, Endowment Commission, Law Department and Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) respondents in the case.
However, Supreme Court had ordered the State government can only take decision whether to open religious places or not. For this High Court said the state government of Odisha can only take the decision regarding opening of temples.
August 3, a devotee from Puri, Trilochan Rath had filed the PIL urging the court to allow devotees into the temple.
Earlier, a similar petition was also filed by priests of Kakatpur ‘Maa Mangala’ temple. Apart from reopening of the shrines, the petitioners had urged the court to direct Odisha government to provide financial assistance to servitors.
PNN