HC Junks PIL Challenging UP Govt’s Move To Hold Religious Events During Navratri

The Allahabad High Court has recently rejected a PIL challenging the state government’s decision to allocate ₹1 lakh to each district to hold religious events during Navratri & Ram Navami festivals and pay an honorarium to the artists.

Upholding the Yogi Adityanath government’s decision to pay an honorarium to the performers at the programs organized at temples, the Lucknow bench of the High Court held that this doesn’t amount to the indulgence of the state in the propagation of any religion or religious denomination.

Therefore, the court stated that it is a simple secular activity of the state while it indulges in publicizing the developmental work undertaken by the state.

The division bench of Justices DK Upadhyaya and OP Shukla dismissed public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Motilal Yadav challenging the state government’s March 10, 2023 decision whereby it allocated ₹1 lakh to each district on the occasion of Ram Navami.

The court’s order was passed on March 22 but was uploaded on its website on Tuesday only.

In its order, the bench observed, “If the state spends some money out of the taxes collected by it from the citizens and appropriates some amount for providing some conveniences or facilities to any religious denomination, it will not be violative of Article 27 of the Constitution of India.” “We have to always keep in mind that there exists a clear line of distinction between a secular activity and religious activity which may be undertaken by the State, like providing conveniences and facilities and indulgence of a State in maintenance and propagation of religion or religious denomination.”

Stating that the petitioner misunderstood the state government’s order, the bench observed, “The Government order does not make any provision for payment of any amount to any person, be it a priest in a temple or anyone else associated with the activities of the temple; rather, the amount is to be paid to the performers or artisans who may be performing on such occasions.”