<p>The Supreme Court is likely to consider on Monday multiple applications for modifying the June 18 order staying the world famous Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra in Odisha's Puri on June 23, saying it had an unbroken practice and formed a part of essential religious practice.</p>.<p>BJP leader Sambit Patra, who unsuccessfully contested Lok Sabha polls from Puri in 2019, also filed a plea for permission of the Yatra with the help of about 800 'sevaits', already tested COVID-19 negative, without presence of devotees.</p>.<p>About a dozen pleas are scheduled to come up for consideration before a single judge bench of Justice S Ravindra Bhat in chamber. </p>.<p>On June 18, a three-judge bench presided over by Chief Justice S A Bobde stayed the Rath Yatra on the ground of threat to public health and safety in view of COVID-19 pandemic.</p>.<p>"Lord Jagannath will not forgive us, if we allow this to continue. Activities related to Rath Yatra is injuncted," the bench had said.</p>.<p>Within days of the order, a number of pleas, including by hereditary chief servitor of Lord Jagannath, Daitapati Nijog and a social worker Aftab Hussein, asked the court to recall or modify the order, restraining any secular or religious activity related to Rath Yatra.</p>.<p>The Rath Yatra -- where devotees pull the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balbhadra and Devi Subhadra--- is an annual event participated by millions of people across the world.</p>
<p>The Supreme Court is likely to consider on Monday multiple applications for modifying the June 18 order staying the world famous Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra in Odisha's Puri on June 23, saying it had an unbroken practice and formed a part of essential religious practice.</p>.<p>BJP leader Sambit Patra, who unsuccessfully contested Lok Sabha polls from Puri in 2019, also filed a plea for permission of the Yatra with the help of about 800 'sevaits', already tested COVID-19 negative, without presence of devotees.</p>.<p>About a dozen pleas are scheduled to come up for consideration before a single judge bench of Justice S Ravindra Bhat in chamber. </p>.<p>On June 18, a three-judge bench presided over by Chief Justice S A Bobde stayed the Rath Yatra on the ground of threat to public health and safety in view of COVID-19 pandemic.</p>.<p>"Lord Jagannath will not forgive us, if we allow this to continue. Activities related to Rath Yatra is injuncted," the bench had said.</p>.<p>Within days of the order, a number of pleas, including by hereditary chief servitor of Lord Jagannath, Daitapati Nijog and a social worker Aftab Hussein, asked the court to recall or modify the order, restraining any secular or religious activity related to Rath Yatra.</p>.<p>The Rath Yatra -- where devotees pull the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balbhadra and Devi Subhadra--- is an annual event participated by millions of people across the world.</p>
