Supreme Court's no to Ganesh puja at Bengaluru's Idgah Maidan

Satya Prakash

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New Delhi, August 30

The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to allow Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at Idgah Maidan, Bengaluru, on August 31 and ordered status quo on the land by both parties.

A three-judge Bench led by Justice Indira Banerjee asked the Hindu side to conduct Ganesh Chaturthi ‘pooja’ somewhere else and advised the parties to move the Karnataka High Court for resolution of the dispute.

“The issues raised in the Special Leave Petition may be agitated by both parties before the High Court. In the meanwhile, the status quo as of today will be maintained by both sides. SLP is disposed of,” it said.

“For 200 years it was not done, you also admit, so why not the status quo, for 200 years whatever was not held, let it be,” commented the Bench which also included Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice MM Sundresh. The order came on an appeal filed by the Karnataka Wakf Board challenging the August 26 order of a Division Bench of the Karnataka High Court which allowed the state government to consider and pass appropriate orders on the applications received by the Deputy Commissioner of Bengaluru (Urban) for using the Idgah Maidan at Chamarajpet.

The Joint Commissioner of Bangalore Corporation issued a notice calling for documents of the land in question, saying there was no clarity with regard to its title. An order permitting the use of land for religious and cultural purposes was passed, claiming it to be a government land.

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