Bhubaneswar: A modification petition was filed in the Supreme Court Friday a day after the apex court stayed the historic festival keeping the COVID-19 pandemic in mind.
The petitioner, Aftab Hossen, in his petition sought partial modification in the apex court order that had been issued Thursday. He urged the court to allow conduction of Rath Yatra only in Puri after announcing a complete shutdown in the city.
One Saroj Sahu has also filed a recall petition with the Supreme Court in the same matter.
The Supreme Court Thursday stayed this year’s historic Puri Rath Yatra starting from June 23 and also the related activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The apex court issued the directive while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) on this.
A bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices Dineesh Maheshwari and A S Bopanna said that in the interest of public health and safety of citizens, this year’s Rath Yatra at Puri in Odisha can’t be allowed.
“Lord Jagannath won’t forgive us if we allow this year’s Rath Yatra to go on”, CJI Bobde said, adding that as such a huge gathering can’t take place during the pandemic.
PNN
