Supreme Court dismisses plea to regulate prasad quality in temples

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition seeking pan-India regulations to ensure that only safe quality prasad (religious offering of food or water dedicated to deities) is distributed at temples [Preeti Harihara Mahapatra v. Union of India and Others]..A Division Bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan observed that the petitioner could pursue remedies available under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 to address such concerns. "There are provisions under the (Food Safety) Act. You invoke them to take action," the Court said while refusing to entertain the PIL..The Court also briefly alluded to the need to let the Executive branch of the government work on such matters within its domain, instead of having the judiciary take up such functions.In this regard, the Bench referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent comment that he has tried to work within the limits set by the Constitution of India."On November 26, our Prime Minister said that Executive is performing duties within the limits. I think that's all what we should say," Justice Gavai orally observed..Senior Advocate Dama S Naidu appeared for the petitioner today and assured the Bench that the petitioner is only seeking measures to ensure that the health of people is not put at risk because of unchecked 'prasad' at temples."This is not a motivated PIL. Temples are not at fault, but there has to be some regulations to govern this," Naidu said. The Court pointed out that such provisions are already in place, under the Food Safety Act."But they say that there are just guidelines and cannot be enforced. We are just asking that there has to be some pan India regulations," Naidu replied. He also referred to several news paper reports to argue that directions out to be issued to the States and the Central government to monitor the standards of prasad."People are getting affected as this is going unchecked ... FSSAI have issued guidelines, but no enforcing power ... This is a pan India issue. Prasad distributed is going unchecked," he pointed out. However, the Court was unimpressed and asked the petitioner to avail alternative remedies. .On a related note, the top court recently ordered a probe by a special investigation team (SIT) into the allegations that animal fat had been used to prepare laddus at the Hindu shrine in Andhra Pradesh, where Lord Venkateswara is worshipped. The petitioners in that case include former Member of Parliament (MP) Dr Subramanian Swamy, YSR Congress Party leader and former Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam chairperson YV Subba Reddy, historian Vikram Sampath and Vedic speaker Dushyanth Sridhar, and Sudarshan News anchor Suresh Chavhanke. .[Live Coverage]