Can’t interfere with the way ‘puja’ is performed, can break a coconut: Supreme Court on petition regarding Tirupati Balaji temple
The Supreme Court on Tuesday said that the Constitutional Court cannot interfere in the day-to-day affairs of the temple, and refused to pass any order on a petition alleging irregularities in certain rituals of the Tirupati Balaji temple. A bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana said constitutional courts cannot specify how rituals (worship in the temple) should be performed, how coconuts should be broken, how garlands should be laid on the deity, etc.
A bench of Justices AS Bopanna and Hema Kohli said that these issues cannot be decided in a writ petition.
The petitioner-in-person, Sarvari Dada submitted that it is a public temple.
The bench said: “How will the courts intervene in this… how to perform the rituals?”
The bench observed that the relief sought by the petitioner is in the nature of interfering in the day-to-day affairs of the temple. It further states that it cannot be looked into by the Constitutional Court and any deviation from tradition is a question of fact, which the Trial Court can see by appreciating the evidence.
The top court asked the temple administration to respond to the complaints of the petitioner, and if there is still any grievance on the specified aspects, the petitioner can approach the appropriate forum.
Dadda, a devotee of Lord Venkateswara Swamy, alleged irregularities in the conduct of ‘services’ and rituals at the Tirupati temple.
On September 29, the Supreme Court had given a week’s time to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) to clarify whether any irregularities had taken place while performing any rituals at the Tirupati Balaji temple.
Earlier, the Andhra Pradesh High Court had dismissed a PIL filed by Srivari Dadda on the same issue and held that the process of performing rituals is the exclusive domain of the Devasthanam and cannot become a matter of justice unless it is secular. or affect civil rights. other.
(With inputs from IANS)
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