CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Thursday declined to pass any order on a PIL seeking direction to allow devotees to have darshan of the deities of the Jagannath temple at Puri during Snana Yatra.
The State Government has prohibited public gathering around the temple during the festival on Friday.
Jayanta Kumar Bal, a resident of Cuttack city, had filed the petition. It was taken up for hearing through video conferencing. The division bench of Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice BR Sarangi left it for the Government to deal with the issue.
The Court disposed of the petition after Advocate General Ashok Kumar Parija made oral submissions related to conduct of Snana Yatra. Public gathering has been prohibited around the temple in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, there will be live telecast of the festival to ensure that devotees are not deprived of a glimpse of the deities during the sacred ceremony, the Court was informed.
The petitioner had also sought intervention against the Government’s decision not to allow devotees to have darshan of the deities during the Rath Yatra on June 23. However, the Court said the matter is already pending before it and will be taken up on June 9.