The Allahabad High Court on Monday scheduled a hearing for next month on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by former Union minister Subramanian Swamy, challenging the Uttar Pradesh government’s control over the management of certain temples and their religious functions.
A two-judge bench, comprising Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Vikas Budhwar, fixed January 17, 2025, for the next hearing.
Swamy’s PIL contests government orders issued in 2017, which gave the state control over the management of festivals and Melas at several temples. These orders include a notification from September 18, 2017, and a government order dated November 3, 2017.
The petition argues that these actions violate constitutional rights under Articles 14, 25, and 31-A, claiming that the state government’s actions were arbitrary, unconstitutional, and illegal.
The temples mentioned in the petition include Lalita Devi Shakti Peeth, Vindhyawasni Shakti Peeth, Maa Pateshwari Peeth, Devipatan, Shakumbhari Mata Mandir in Saharanpur, and Naimishyaran in Sitapur. Swamy was not present for the hearing, but his counsel requested an adjournment, which was granted by the court.
The case raises significant questions about government intervention in religious affairs, with Swamy asserting that such actions infringe upon the religious autonomy of the temples.
The upcoming hearing will likely shed light on the legal and constitutional aspects of government involvement in religious management.
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