New Delhi: The Supreme Court today left the decision of holding Dussera festival, Takht Insan, Deepmala and Gurta Gaddi in Nanded Sikh Gurudwara with the Maharashtra government on the basis of ground situation.
The bench comprising of Justice L Nageswara Rao, Justice Hemant Gupta and Justice Ajay Rastogi was hearing a plea by Nanded Sikh Gurudwara Sachkhand and Shri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib Board which sought permission to hold these festivals amid pandemic as its an age-old custom.
The apex court took note of the Maharashtra government's argument that Article 25 gives freedom to profess and propagate religion subject to public order and safety and public order is a state subject and state has concerns regarding public health.
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Judges had asked the state government if they can allow to hold it at 5 am with limited gathering. However, the state appeared sceptical and argued that hundreds of people will come from across the globe and it won't be possible to control the crowd.
Maharashtra said that procession rituals for hundreds of years have not been permitted in the state, the state, district Nanded is badly affected. Gudi padwa, Akshaya Tritya, Ashadhi Ekadashi, Pandharpur, Bakrid, Gukulashtmi, Ganesh Chathurthi, Ganesh Chaturthi, Muharram, Navratri etc have been banned. The court considered it and said that it can not interfere in the matter when the state itself saying it is difficult.
The court directed the state management authority to take a decision based on the current scenario and hear the plea tomorrow.
It asked the Gurudwara authorities to approach the secretary disaster management department and in case not satisfied, approach the Bombay HC.
Supreme court has it a vacation and today special bench assembled to hear the case.
Maharashtra continues to be the worst affected state by COVID-19 in the country. While 13,69,810 patients have recovered from the disease in the state, 42,115 have died so far.
