Supreme Court Rejects PIL Against VIP Darshans at Temples
The Supreme Court has refused to hear a public interest litigation (PIL) that challenged the practice of giving VIPs special access to temples across India.
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar acknowledged that such preferential treatment should not be given. However, they stated that the Court could not issue directions on the matter.
"We will not entertain this petition. While we may believe that no special preference should be given, this Court cannot pass orders under Article 32," the judges said.
Despite this, the Court clarified that government authorities are free to take action on the issue if they choose to do so.
The petition, filed by Vijay Kishor Goswami, argued that VIP and paid darshans create inequality and even lead to stampedes. The petitioner’s lawyer pointed out that it is the government's constitutional duty to remove such unfair treatment.
This hearing comes at a time when several stampedes have taken place during the ongoing Maha Kumbh in Uttar Pradesh. Following recent deaths, the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to cancel all VVIP passes.
Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court recently criticized the Travancore Devaswom Board for allowing Malayalam actor Dileep to receive a special darshan at the Sabarimala temple. The court noted that such preferential treatment caused inconvenience to regular pilgrims.
Also Read: Kerala HC Slams Devaswom Board for Giving VIP Privileges to Actor Dileep at Sabarimala
