CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Monday left to the State’s discretion if it can ensure restricted entry of general public into religious places and places of worship maintaining social distancing.The Government had decided to keep all religious places closed for public till August 31. Two PILs had sought direction to open the Jagannath Temple in Puri and other religious places in the State for public by maintaining social distancing and wearing masks. The petitions filed by Jayanta Kumar Bal of Cuttack and Trilochan Rath of Puri disposed of after analogous hearing via video conferencing.
“If mall, fitness centre, gym, yoga centres, liquor shops and public places are opened for public, there is no just cause and fairness in stopping the devotees of Lord Jagannath and other devotees to their religious places,” the petitions contended while citing the Supreme Court judgment in Nishikant Dubey case.
The bench of Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice BR Sarangi left it to the Government to take a decision taking into consideration the observations of the Supreme Court in Nishikant Dubey case on July 31.Dubey had sought direction to Jharkhand and the Central Government to open Baba Baidhyanath Jyotirlinga Temple at Deoghar and Baba Basukinath Temple at Basukinath for public.
While disposing Dubey’s petition, a three-judge bench of Supreme Court said, “As State Government has to make proper arrangements, we refrain from issuing a direction to the Government. However, we earnestly request them to find out a possibility of limited entry of general public in temples, churches and mosques in the State.”
“It is basically for the State Government to take a call on this. It would not be appropriate to issue directions to provide the entry. However, we request the State Government to find out a possibility for darshan, which ought to have been done for general public as is being done in Ujjain, another Jyotirlinga. We are informed that in Ujjain, 300 persons are being allowed on the basis of prior online booking, giving them different timings,” the Supreme Court said.