New Delhi. The Jagannath Rath Yatra has been approved by the Supreme Court in Puri. The Supreme Court has allowed the Rath Yatra with some conditions. The Supreme Court said, the Puri Rath Yatra will be organized with the coordination of the temple committee, state and central government without compromising on health.
The Central Government held a hearing on the Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra on Monday 22 June in front of a two-judge bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra in the Supreme Court. The Center said in front of the court that religious practices should be allowed to be carried out without crowd, the yatra will be completed with full caution. On behalf of the Center, Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta said that centuries of tradition cannot be stopped. It is a matter of faith of crores of people. If Lord Jagannath does not come tomorrow, then according to the traditions, he cannot come for 12 years. In order to ensure that the epidemic does not spread, taking care, the state government may impose curfew for a day.
Courtroom live
- SG Tushar Mehta – No health related problems have been compromised and people’s safety has also been taken care of.
- CJI asked, why should UOI (Union of India) conduct the Rath Yatra? Why is Shankaracharya being included? The trust and temple committee have been organizing the yatra already, so why is the government inducting Shankaracharya?
-SG Tushar Mehta – Center has come into the picture due to the guidelines. We are talking about consultations. He is the religious supreme master.
Harish Salve on behalf of Orissa Government – Yatra cannot be organized in the entire state. Curfew should be imposed. Drag the chariot into service or police personnel who are Kovid negative.
- Advocate Ranjit Kumar on behalf of the petitioner – Two and a half thousand pandas are associated with the temple system. Adding everyone will increase problems and chaos. Following the provisions of the deadline, arrangements should be made according to public health.
- SG Tushar Mehta – The arrangement will be according to the guidelines.
-CJI – Which guide line are you talking about?
-SG- Tushar Mehta – Follow the guide line regarding public health.
- Advocate Ranjit Kumar – 10 to 12 days journey. If there is a problem during this period then alternative arrangements are necessary.
People can watch live on TV
Mehta said that all those services whose corona test is negative can participate in the rituals decided by Shri Shankaracharya. People can watch live telecasts on TV and take blessings. The king of Puri and the temple committee can oversee the arrangement of these rituals.
A stay order was issued on 18 June
It may be known that on June 18, a three-judge bench of Chief Justice gave the order to ban the rath yatra. A dozen petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court seeking amendment to this order, which was in front of a judge’s bench Justice S Ravindra Bhatt for hearing in the Supreme Court today.
The legal screw here was that a judge cannot amend the order of a three-judge bench, so the Central Government today placed the matter before the bench of two-judge Justice Arun Mishra sitting in the Supreme Court. On which Justice Arun Mishra said that he consulted with the Chief Justice, because on 18 June the order of the Chief Justice was ordered to stop the rath yatra.
