: While the PIL seeking Judicial Commission of enquiry into the “Brahma Paribartan” fiasco at Jagannath Temple at Puri could not be taken up for adjudication in the High Court on Monday, yet another petition was filed in the court on the day with similar prayers.
The earlier PIL filed by one Umakanta Pattanayak of Kendrapara district was listed for hearing by a Division Bench during the day.
But the matter could not be taken up as scheduled since the lawyers of the Court gathered in the afternoon for reference in memory of death of a member of the bar.
The High Court last Wednesday had issued notices directing the State government and Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) to respond to the PIL filed by Pattanayak. The Court had ordered the State Chief Secretary, law secretary and Chief Administrator of SJTA to respond within two weeks.
A similar PIL is also filed by a Cuttack resident Sibadatta Ramprasad Mishra in which the petitioner has sought relief for a judicial enquiry on irregularities, indiscipline and schism during the transformation of Brahma in the idols of the Temple.
The petitioner said the incident that happened on June 16 in the Temple was in violation of thousand years of customs and usages followed in the temple.
Religious sentiments
“The irregularities have seriously hurt and injured the religious and spiritual sentiments of the devotees of the Lord Jagannath across the world”, the petition said adding that there is “anarchy” in the functioning of temple rituals.
