BENGALURU: The state government on Monday informed the Karnataka High Court that it requires eight weeks time to reconsider its decision on cancelling Tipu Jayanti celebrations and take a fresh call. Accordingly, a division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Hemant Chandangoudar granted time till March 18, 2020.
The bench was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Bilal Ali Shah questioning the cancellation of Tipu Jayanti. In the affidavit filed before the court, the Kannada and Culture Department has stated that the state government is actively examining all available literature and material in the matter, which is vast and intensive. Due to this, and because the period in question traces back to more than 300 years, it is taking time to examine all material in order to pass a fresh order, it said.
“The state is also in the process of tracing the orders, if any, and recording decisions to celebrate Jayantis of eminent personalities. This process is also very time-consuming,” the department said. On November 6, 2019, the court had directed the state to reconsider its decision and take a fresh call after considering all the material.