SC allows Jagannath Rath Yatra with curfew and no public participation

Days after staying the Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Supreme Court on Monday modified its June 18 order and allowed the Yatra to go ahead with restrictions.

The court ordered that there would be curfew in Puri from 8 pm on Monday and all entry points to the city would be closed and the general public would not be allowed to participate in the 10-day event.

It also directed the Odisha government and the temple administration to adhere to the safety guidelines relating to the pandemic. It said not more than 500 people, including officials and police personnel, who have been tested negative of COVID-19, would be allowed to pull the chariot.

A bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and A S Bopanna lifted its stay after hearing a batch of applications filed by Gajapati Maharaj of Puri, the Chairman of the Puri Jagannath Temple Administration, and social worker Aftab Hussein and BJP leader Sambit Patra and others for allowing the Yatra "in a limited way without public attendance".

"The primary responsibility for conducting the Rath Yatra in accordance with the conditions and other norms shall be that of the Committee in-charge of Puri Jagannath Temple Administration. Each member of the Committee shall be responsible for due compliance with the conditions," the bench ordered.

The court noted that Odisha has a good record of having controlled the pandemic with a very little loss of life.

"We see no reason why the same attitude of care and caution should not be applied to the Rath Yatra," the bench said.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Union government, said the tradition of centuries should not be stopped as it was a matter of faith for crores of people.

"If Lord Jagannath will not come out tomorrow, he cannot come out for 12 years as per tradition," he said.

The court accepted Mehta's plea saying that the state government can impose curfew for a day apart from maintaining precautions to ensure that the pandemic does not spread.

It also agreed to another suggestion by Mehta that people may not congregate and seek blessings on TV during the live telecast.

Appearing for the Odisha government, senior advocate Harish Salve agreed to the suggestion. He said such yatras should not be allowed anywhere else except in Puri.

Senior advocate Ranjit Kumar, appearing for NGO Odisha Vikas Parishad, on whose plea stay was granted earlier, said only a minimum number of people should be allowed to pull the chariot and participate in the event.

On June 18, the court had said Lord Jagannath would not forgive it if the Yatra was allowed to continue due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Monday, the bench said, "In the 18th-19th century, a yatra of this kind was responsible for the spread of cholera and plague “like wild fire”. We say this in order to remind the authorities concerned that the situation can become dangerous if the rules of caution are ignored".