New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the Allahabad High Court order that had banned the holding of Ramlila in a school ground in Uttar Pradesh's Firozabad district.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Ujjal Bhuiyan and N. Kotishwar Singh allowed the function to continue on the condition that there is no inconvenience to the students. The bench stayed the High Court's paragraph, saying, "Although we do not allow religious functions in school grounds, this Ramlila has been going on for the last 100 years and this year's celebrations began on September 14."
The bench issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government on a petition filed by the Srinagar Ramlila Mahotsav and asked the High Court to direct the district administration to submit a proposal for another venue in future. The top court asked the high court to hear the Srinagar Ramlila Mahotsav and other stakeholders on the next date of hearing and submit a proposal for another venue. The apex court also reprimanded petitioner Pradeep Singh Rana for not filing his complaint earlier and filing the case only after the festival began on September 14.
The bench asked the PIL petitioner, “This Ramlila has been going on for 100 years and you also accept this fact. Then what stopped you from going to the courts earlier and stopping the celebrations? You are neither a student nor a parent of students, what is your interest in stopping these celebrations?” The PIL petitioner said, “It was when they started building the concrete wall that they approached the high court to stop the celebrations.