Ganesh Puja: PIL Filed In Orissa High Court Against Ban On Community Celebration

Bhubaneswar: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Orissa High Court against restrictions imposed on community celebration of Ganesh Puja in the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.

As per the reports, President of Budha Ganesh Puja Committee, Shivendra Hata has filed a PIL in the High Court urging for permission to all Puja Pandals in the twin cities to hold the annual Ganesh puja.

In the PIL, the Chief Secretary, Special Relief Commissioner, the Police Commissioner, Cuttack District Collector, Cuttack DCP and Commissioner of Cuttack Municipal Corporation have been made respondents.

The Commissionerate Police had earlier barred all the Puja Pandals and Committees under its jurisdiction from holding Ganesh Puja in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. There is however no restriction on individuals or families celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi within the confines of their homes.

Not only in the Twin-City, increasing COVID-19 caseload in Jajpur and Gajapati districts, has forced the administrations to cancel community celebrations as well.

Earlier, the traders’ association of Jatni had opposed restrictions on community celebration of Ganesh Puja in the Twin City. “Organisers are ready to face legal action if celebrating the puja while adhering to COVID-19 regulations invites such an action,” the president of the association had said.

(Edited By Bikram Keshari Jena)

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COVID-19: No Community Celebration Of Ganesh Puja In Bhubaneswar, Cuttack