Bhubaneswar: As the chariot of Lord Balabhadra rolled out on ‘Bada Danda’, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Tuesday released the special Rath Yatra issue of Utkal Prasanga and Odisha Review at Lokaseva Bhavan here.
The Supreme Court had issued a stay order on Rath Yatra June 18. But after considering various PILs filed by several individuals and organisations, the top court bench Monday said that the annual Puri Rath Yatra can be conducted but with certain restrictions. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde gave the order.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had earlier asserted that the government and the temple administration are fully prepared to hold the Rath Yatra Tuesday and had made an appeal to strike a balance between rituals and public health via a video message.