Senior Advocate Gopal Subramanium, who was serving as Amicus Curiae in the matter concerning the Jagannath Puri temple, has withdrawn from the case..The Bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta was informed of the same, whereupon the matter was adjourned..In June this year, the Supreme Court issued a slew of directions in a petition highlighting the issues faced by visitors of the Jagannath Temple at Puri, Odisha. The Court also appointed Senior Advocate Gopal Subramanium as Amicus Curiae in the matter..The petition filed by Mrinalini Padhi, a lawyer practicing in Orissa High Court, points out the difficulties faced by the visitors of the Jagannath Temple and their harassment and exploitation by the Sevaks (attendants) of the temple. The lack of hygiene plaguing the temple surroundings was another issue brought to the Court’s notice. The Bench of Justices AK Goel and Ashok Bhushan subsequently issued notice in the matter..On a later date of hearing, the Bench of Justices AK Goel and S Abdul Nazeer passed an order asking the management of the Jagannath Temple to consider allowing entry of people belonging to all faiths to pay their respects to the deity. The order passed on July 5 states,.“The temple management may consider, subject to regulatory measures, with regard to dress code, giving of an appropriate declaration or compliance with other directions, permitting every visitor irrespective of his faith, to offer respects and to make offerings to the deity.”
Senior Advocate Gopal Subramanium, who was serving as Amicus Curiae in the matter concerning the Jagannath Puri temple, has withdrawn from the case..The Bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta was informed of the same, whereupon the matter was adjourned..In June this year, the Supreme Court issued a slew of directions in a petition highlighting the issues faced by visitors of the Jagannath Temple at Puri, Odisha. The Court also appointed Senior Advocate Gopal Subramanium as Amicus Curiae in the matter..The petition filed by Mrinalini Padhi, a lawyer practicing in Orissa High Court, points out the difficulties faced by the visitors of the Jagannath Temple and their harassment and exploitation by the Sevaks (attendants) of the temple. The lack of hygiene plaguing the temple surroundings was another issue brought to the Court’s notice. The Bench of Justices AK Goel and Ashok Bhushan subsequently issued notice in the matter..On a later date of hearing, the Bench of Justices AK Goel and S Abdul Nazeer passed an order asking the management of the Jagannath Temple to consider allowing entry of people belonging to all faiths to pay their respects to the deity. The order passed on July 5 states,.“The temple management may consider, subject to regulatory measures, with regard to dress code, giving of an appropriate declaration or compliance with other directions, permitting every visitor irrespective of his faith, to offer respects and to make offerings to the deity.”
