BHUBANESWAR: The Orissa High Court on Friday issued notices to both the Central and state governments on a PIL challenging the ban imposed on cremation of bodies at Swargadwar in Puri by people from outside the district.
The Court also issued notice to the District Magistrate and Collector seeking his response by August 12.
On July 8, the Collector had issued the ban order to contain the spread of Covid-19 cases in the district.
The restriction was imposed after a large number of BJD workers crowded Swargadwar during cremation of Tirtol MLA Bishnu Das’s mortal remains on the day.
The order cited the directions issued by the Central and State governments in connection with containment of Covid-19. Sanjeev Kumar Chinara, a resident of Netaji Nagar in Cuttack city, filed the petition seeking the Court’s intervention and direction to revoke the order.
In his petition, Chinara said, “The funeral at Swargadwar and other rituals like ‘Asthi Bisarjan’ in Mahodadhi (sea) is a matter of Hindu faith. The administration has absolutely no right to transgress a religious matter. Thus, the writ petition seeks a direction to preserve the faith, customs and a last wish of a departed soul.”
Advocate Ranjan Kumar Rout argued the case for the petitioner. The division bench of Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice Biswanath Rath fixed August 12 date for final hearing and disposal of the petition.
The Court sought responses from the respondents by then.
The petitioner also alleged that the ban is an attempt to undermine the independence of the judiciary through violation of Article 15 which clearly states, “The State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them.”