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Supreme Court refuses to allow Rath Yatra in other parts of Odisha, except Puri

The Supreme Court today refused to permit Rath Yatra across the state of Odisha, except at the Jagannath temple in Puri. Several applications were filed in the writ petition which was filed and disposed off last year, seeking permission to allow Rath Yatra in Puri. This year, several petitioners approached the apex court to allow Rath Yatra in other cities like Baripada and Sasang.

The Odisha Government had allowed the Rath Yatra in Puri, but there were restrictions to conduct Rath Yatra in other places.

The matter was today listed before the bench led by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana. “You want to pray to the God. You can do it from home. I also wanted to go to Puri, but I couldn’t in the last one-and-a-half year. This isn’t the time,” said the CJI. Justice A.S. Bopanna and Justice Hrishikesh Roy were also part of the bench.

Advocate Ranjeeta Rohatgi, who filed the Original writ petition, objected the filing of various applications in her plea. “This writ was filed for Rath Yatra and nothing remains in this writ petition. Please don’t entertain any application filed in this petition,” she said.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that in the last year, there was complete prohibition on Rath Yatra and a writ petition was filed, seeking permission to conduct it with restrictions. The SG suggested yatras can be allowed by limiting numbers and restrictions.

“What my lordship can permit is to conduct the Rath Yatra without public and it is to be in relation to other places than Puri. Because Puri is no more restricted. In other places, the Yatra can be permitted with restrictions. Only ritual can be performed,” he said.

Odisha government opposed Rath Yatras in other cities except Puri. “How can the state control this? Because Puri is different. What the writ petitioners are want is, they wish to organise Rath Yatra all other place. How can we control it. This can’t be done. We object,” said AG Ashok Parija, Odisha.

One of the Counsels appearing for the petitioner prayed for allowing the Rath Yatra in other places too.

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The CJI said, “I also go to Puri and for the last one-and-a-half year, I wanted to go. But due to some reason, I didn’t. If you want to pray to God, you can do that from home. The Government has taken steps to control the COVID-19 pandemic. We can’t predict the situation and we leave it to the Government.

“We hope God will allow us to perform these rituals next year,” concluded the CJI, dismissing all applications.

The Odisha government has permitted Rath Yatra only at Puri and allowed rituals within temple premises of all other Jagannath temples. The Apex Court said it agrees with Odisha government order, given the fears of COVID spread.

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