SC To Hear Plea Against Madras HC Order Staying Sale, Manufacture Of Plaster Of Paris Ganesha Idols

The Supreme Court agreed to hear a plea on Monday challenging a Madras High Court order staying the sale and manufacture of Ganesha idols made of plaster of Paris.

A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra agreed to hear the matter at the end of the board of listed cases after senior advocate Shyam Divan cited urgency in the matter owing to the Ganesh Chaturthi festival on Tuesday.

Divan stated, “This is a matter which requires urgent hearing. The division bench of the high court has passed the order on Sunday evening by which it had stayed the single judge’s order permitting the sale of Ganesha idols made of plaster of Paris.”

The bench initially asked Divan to follow the standard operating procedure for listing of the urgent matters by sending an e-mail to apex court. However, it agreed to hear the matter after the advocate mentioned the upcoming festival.

Divan stated that the effect of the order issued during a special sitting on Sunday by the Madurai bench of the high court is that idols made of plaster of Paris can neither be manufactured and sold nor can they be immersed.

CJI Chandrachud then asked, “What will people do with the idols if they can’t immerse it? Has the single judge considered the aspect of immersion?” Divan stated that the single judge considered all the aspects and asked district administration to make arrangements for makeshift tanks for the immersion of the idols.

The division bench of the high court stated that several orders have been passed by the court over the years on the use of idols made of plaster of Paris.

It stated now that the state Pollution Control Board has formulated guidelines, idols made of plaster of Paris that can’t be used.