CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Friday allowed Vinayaka Chaturthi organisers to submit their applications to seek police consent till 5 pm on Saturday, though the Government Order (GO), dated August 9, has mandated that the permission be taken one month in advance.
Hearing a bunch of writ petitions that termed the GO highly onerous and impracticable, the court said it was not proper for the judiciary to interfere in matters relating to public order. However, it is true that Lord Vinayaka is a common deity for the people of Hindu religion and people are entitled to conduct religious festivals in the manner they like and any reasonable restriction, required for the purpose of maintenance of law and order, should be considered.
Also, the GO was passed following an order from a division bench of the Madras High Court on August 23, 2017, which asked the State to frame detailed guidelines on the requisites that have to be complied with by all organisers who temporarily install idols on the public land and perform public worship.
However, when matter came for hearing on Friday, the Advocate-General communicated to the court that applications seeking permission for the celebration and procession may be submitted along with necessary documents to the DSP in respect of places on the outskirts of the cities and to the ACP in cities. The authorities concerned shall adopt commercial tariff in respect of electricity consumption charges and the date, time and place of procession of idols shall be fixed by the authorities.
Accordingly the court has said in its order, “The Deputy Superintendent of Police/Assistant Commissioner of the Police of the respective jurisdictions shall consider the said applications and communicate the order, then and there or in any event, by 5 pm on September 10.”