Gujarat High Court: A Division Bench of Vikram Nath, CJ and J.B. Pardiwala, J., rejected all the civil applications in a midnight hearing, filed with regard to granting permission for Rath Yatra on the ground that Supreme Court allowed the Yatra in restricted manner by modifying its earlier order.
In the evening of 22-06-2020, two applications were filed. One on behalf of Mahant Akhileshwardasji Ramlakhandasji, the representative of Gopal Lalji Ramji Mandir Moti Salavivad Saraspur Mosad (uncle) of Lord Jagannath and another filed on behalf of Krutesh Samir Patel with regard to permitting the Rath Yatra with shortest possible route.
Before any order could be passed for the above two applications by the Court, more applications were filed.
All the applications pertained to modification of the order passed on 20-06-2020 and to permit the Rath Yatra being carried out as usual or may be with certain conditions to be imposed. The main ground was the order passed by the Supreme Court on 22.06.2020 which was uploaded sometime in the evening relating to the Jagannath Mandir at Puri of Orissa State.
Bench stated that the situation of Ahmedabad on account of COVID-19 cannot be compared with the situation in Puri or in the State of Orissa.
Thus in view of the present situation, all the applications filed are rejected. [Mahant Akhileshwardasji Ramlakhandasji v. State of Gujarat, 2020 SCC OnLine Guj 917 , decided on 23-06-2020]
