The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition challenging an Andhra Pradesh High Court order that had rejected a devotee’s plea to look into irregularities of rituals at the Venkateswara Swami Vaari Temple in Tirumala town, Bar and Bench reported.
“How a coconut should be broken or a pooja should be done in a temple is not for a constitutional court to look into,” the court said, according to PTI.
A bench of Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and Justices AS Bopanna and Hima Kohli was hearing a petition, which alleged that rituals at the temple in Tirumala did not follow the traditions.
On Tuesday, the court said that it could only ask the temple’s administration, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, to clarify its stand if the petition or a devotee alleges that the religious place had been flouting rules, Bar and Bench reported.
“Whether a particular ritual was being performed in the right way or not was a disputed question of fact,” the court said, according to PTI. “At most, it could be a subject for filing a civil suit in a subordinate court.”
While dismissing the petition, the court asked the temple administration to clarify the petitioner’s doubts, Bar and Bench reported. “It is your duty to clarify it,” the court told the temple administration. “This does not mean you have a free pass.”
In response to the direction, the lawyer representing the temple administration said that every grievance of the petitioner was taken into account and a counter-affidavit has been filed in court.
After scrutinising the response, the court asked the temple administration to give a thorough response within eight weeks.
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