Bombay HC dismisses PIL seeking ban on astrology, vastushastra

A city-based NGO, Janhit Manch, had filed the PIL pointing that astrology and vastushastra have no scientific basis and their practitioners are misleading people, and government must be directed to pass a law banning them.

It had made various government agencies and practitioners of astrology, including astrologer Bejan Daruwala respondents to the petition.

In the judgment pronounced last week, a division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice S J Vazifdar said, "It is not open to this court to entertain a petition for directing the government or legislature to enact a legislation."

The PIL had also sought that advertisements of astrologers and vastu experts should be banned under the Drugs and Magical Remedies Act, 1954, which makes advertising quack-drugs or remedies an offence.

However, the High Court held that such advertisements do not fall under the purview of Drugs and Magical Remedies Act.