The Rath Yatra is scheduled to be held on June 23.
The Supreme Court will on Monday hear four petitions seeking modification of its earlier order of June 18, which had stayed the annual 'Rath Yatra' in Puri and all other places in Odisha, due to the raging coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak.
A single-judge bench of Justice S Ravindra Bhat at the apex court will hear the four petitions today. The petitions were filed by different persons and organisations and they will be heard today at 11 am via in-chamber hearing.
The top court had stayed the annual Rath Yatra at Jagannath Temple in Puri, which was slated to being on June 23, and all activities related to the gathering in view of the coronavirus pandemic this year.
A three-judge bench of the apex court headed by CJI Sharad Arvind Bobde had said that such gatherings cannot take place at the time of the pandemic.
"Lord Jagannath will forgive us if we stay the Rath Yatra this year... In the interest of public health and safety of citizens, Rath Yatra cannot be allowed this year," the top court had remarked.
The court also said that the Rath Yatra will not be held anywhere in Odisha in 2020 to avoid large gatherings that could spread COVID-19 pandemic.
The Supreme Court was hearing a plea filed by an NGO named Odisha Vikas Parishad seeking a stay on the annual Rath Yatra to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The NGO had stated that if the Rath Yatra is allowed, then COVID-19 infection will increase manifold.
It sought an immediate order directing the respondents, including the Odisha government, not to grant any permission for holding the Rath Yatra till the disposal of the accompanying writ petition.
The Odisha government had decided to abide by the Supreme Court's order to not hold Jagannath 'Rath Yatra' in Puri this year in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The decision was taken at a state cabinet meeting on Thursday chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar after the Supreme Court stayed the annual 'Rath Yatra' of Lord Jagannath at Puri this year in view of the pandemic.
Later, Dibyasingha Deb, Chairman of Shree Jagannatha Temple Managing Committee, Puri had written to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, requesting him to take appropriate steps ensuring that the state government immediately approaches the Supreme Court for partial modification of its June 18 order so as to allow Rath Yatra in Puri.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra on Sunday (June 21) tweeted that he has also approached the top court seeking a modification of its earlier order staying the annual Jagannath Yatra at Puri in Odisha.
He assured the court that the Rath Yatra will be held without a congregation of devotees and services of 800 sevayats will be used, all of whom have tested negative for the infection.
The Rath Yatra is scheduled to be held on June 23.
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