Queency Jain –
The Orissa High Court rejected all the petitions filed by the devotees to hold Rath Yatras in places of the State other than the Jagannath Temple at Puri, which had earlier got the permission of the Court.
The petitions were rejected on the ground that in the extraordinary times where the whole country is recovering from the Second Wave of the pandemic, the restrictions imposed by the State must not be overshadowed and no such permissions must be granted.
A total of 6 petitions were filed after the State Government in its order dated 10 June 2021 made it clear that no Rath Yatra or car festival shall be held at any place of the State except the Lord Jagannath temple at Puri.
The Court observed that only Lord Jagannath Temple at Puri has been given permission to hold Rath Yatras because the temple constitutes a class apart and has been recognized by the Supreme Court in Odisha Bikash Parishad v. Union of India.
Considering the condition of the State and the need of an hour to take necessary measures and precautions to deal with the Coronavirus disease, the Orissa High Court dismissed all the petitions.
