New Delhi: The Supreme Court today rejected pleas seeking permission to conduct Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath at various places other than Puri in Odisha.
As per the orders of the apex court, the Rath Yatra 2021 will take place only in Puri.
The court has refused to interfere in the Odisha Government’s order banning Rath Yatra at any temple other than Srimandir due to the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The State Government has evaluated the Covid situation and there is no question of interfering, said Chief Justice of India NV Ramana.
“I myself used to go for the puja. Hopefully next year God will allow us to see. Till then watch it on TV,” he said.
“You want to pray to God. You can do it from home. I also wanted to go to Puri, but I couldn’t in the last one and half years. This isn’t the time,” the CJI added.
Earlier, a petition was filed for the Kendrapada Baladevjew Rath Yatra. An application was also made for the Bhatli, Nilgiri Rath Yatra but the decision of the State government remained firm.
Notably, the State Government announced that devotees will be barred from participating in the annual Rath Yatra, which will only be held in Puri amid strict adherence to Covid-19 protocols.