Are religious acts allowed on government property? SC to decide
(Sourced from PTI)
The Supreme Court today referred to a larger bench the question whether religious activities can be allowed on a government land or property in India. A bench of Justices R F Nariman and Indu Malhotra framed the question and referred the petition filed by an organization, Jyoti Jagran Mandal, to the Chief Justice of India for setting up of a larger bench.
The organization moved the top court after being denied permission by civic authorities to hold 'Jagran' and 'Mata ki Chowki' at a park in south-west Delhi. While hearing the petition, the bench said the issue was related to an important question: whether such religious functions can be allowed on public properties in view of the fact that India is a secular nation.
The organization, in its appeal, has said that earlier the National Green Tribunal had allowed it to perform religious activities at Chanchal Park in Lajwanti area of Mayapuri in Delhi. However, permission was later withdrawn, forcing the organization to hold the religious function on the road. The organization was represented by advocates Fuzail Ayyubi and Isha Bhardwaj.
