The Supreme Court on Thursday, 27 August, dismissed a petition seeking permission to carry out Muharram processions across the country amid COVID-19 related restrictions.
Stating that a general order for the entire country cannot be passed by the Court, Chief Justice of India SA Bobde said, as per Bar and Bench:
When the petitioner cited orders passed by the Supreme Court in relation to the Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra and the Jain Temples in Mumbai during Paryushan, the apex court reportedly said:
According to Bar and Bench, the Court stated that had the petitioner sought permission for just one place, it could have been considered after risk assessment of spread of the pandemic.
The Bench, according to the Bar and Bench report, also observed that the state governments were not arrayed as parties in the plea.
According to Bar and Bench, in the previous hearing, the bench, comprising of Chief Justice of India SA Bobde and Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian, was informed that permission was being sought for processions in a limited manner with only five participants, and while ensuring that all other safety norms were followed.
(With inputs from Bar & Bench)
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