The Supreme Court on Friday declined to entertain a Public Interest Litigation challenging the practice of charging an additional fee for “VIP darshan” and offering preferential treatment to certain individuals in temples.
A bench consisting of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar stated that the matter should be decided by society and temple management, as the court could not intervene in such issues.
“While we may be of the opinion that no special treatment should be given, this court cannot issue directions. We do not think it is a fit case to exercise jurisdiction under Article 32 of the Constitution.
However, we clarify that the dismissal of the petition will not prevent the appropriate authorities from taking necessary action,” the bench remarked.
The petition, filed by Vijay Kishor Goswami, a ‘sevait’ (temple servant) at Shri Radha Madan Mohan Temple in Vrindavan, raised concerns about the arbitrary nature of the “VIP darshan” system at the 12 Jyotirlingas.
Advocate Akash Vashishtha, representing the petitioner, argued that there should be a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to regulate the practice.
The petition contended that charging an additional fee for expedited access to temple deities violated the principles of equality enshrined in Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution.
It highlighted how the practice discriminated against devotees who could not afford the fee, particularly disadvantaged groups such as women, persons with disabilities, and senior citizens. The petition also pointed out that the fees, ranging from Rs 400 to Rs 500 for special darshan privileges, created a divide between the affluent and those unable to pay.
The plea further noted that despite representations made to the home ministry, only Andhra Pradesh had issued a directive regarding the issue, while other states like Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh had not addressed the matter.
The petitioner requested the court to declare the additional fee as a violation of constitutional rights, specifically the right to equality and religious freedom.
Additionally, the plea called for the formulation of standard operating procedures by the Centre to ensure equal access to temple services for all devotees and proposed the establishment of a national board to oversee the management and administration of temples across India.
However, the court dismissed the petition, stating that it was not an appropriate case for judicial intervention.
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