SC allows Puri Rath Yatra in restricted manner

New Delhi: Supreme Court on Monday allowed the conduct of world famous Rath Yatra in Puri and directed that the Jagannath Temple Management Trust and Odisha government to organise it in a very restricted manner without allowing congregation of devotees keeping in mind the public health. 

"We allow the Rath Yatra to go on only in Puri in Odisha, with restrictions," a bench headed by Chief Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde said in its order. 

Odisha government submitted before the Apex Court that it will coordinate with Centre to hold the Rath Yatra in Puri while keeping a close watch and the health aspects of the public at large. 

Former Solicitor General (SG) Ranjit Kumar had appeared for NGO, Odisha Vikash Parishad, (OVP), on whose Public Interest Litigation (PIL), the Apex Court had stayed the Rath Yatra on June 18.

"By our June 18 we had stayed the respondents from holding rath yatra this year in view of COVID19 and an anticipated gathering of 10 to 12 lakh devotees for 10 to 12 days. Clearly any spread of COVID19 due to this will be disastrous since large numbers are involved," the Apex Court today said in its order.

The Apex Court today passed the order, through video conferencing which was conducted and the CJI had participated from Nagpur. (UNI)