New Delhi: The Supreme on Tuesday refused to entertain a petition regarding irregularities in the rituals of Tirumala Tirupati temple saying that it's not feasible for a constitutional court to interfere the day-to-day affairs of a temple.
A bench led by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana, was hearing a plea filed by a devotee challenging the Andhra Pradesh HC order which had dismissed his plea seeking directions to rectify the way in which rituals are being conducted for Lord Sri Venkateswara Swamy in the temple.
The bench, also comprising Justices A.S. Bopanna and Hima Kohli, said that it cannot interfere in the rituals but can ask for temple's response in case of any administration grievances. "Can we interfere in rituals of a temple? How to break a coconut or how to do arti?," the court asked.
"If there are any other issues....if administration not performing properly and ignoring rules and regulations or indulging in any other violations, these are the only areas where we can ask Devasthanam to clarify. As sevas, utsavs are concerned, the petitioner can pursue them in an appropriate forum. To that extent we aren't going to interfere. Other than these, if we start interfering in sevas, then it will not be feasible," observed the court.
Disposing of the petition, the court ordered that in case of any administration grievance by the petitioner, the administration will have to address and respond within 8 weeks. In case the grievance is not solved, the petitioner can approach an appropriate forum, the court said.
