The Supreme Court on Friday declined to consider a petition requesting that all states appoint “yoga mitra” instructors for school children.
Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, alongside Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, informed the petitioner, advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, that the matter fell within the realm of government policy.
CJI Chandrachud acknowledged the importance of yoga for development, stating, “As a person who practices yoga, I can say it’s important for development, but this purely lies in the policy domain of the government.” When Upadhyay asked to withdraw his petition, the bench granted him permission.
The petition argued that incorporating yoga into education supports children’s right to health under Article 21 and aligns with their right to education under Article 21A. It emphasized that the right to health includes not only prevention and protection but is also essential for children to live with dignity.
Therefore, the state has a constitutional obligation to appoint “yoga mitra” in schools and to foster conditions conducive to good health.
The plea further asserted that Articles 21, 39, and 47 collectively impose a responsibility on the state to enhance the health of its citizens, particularly children, by providing necessary information, instruction, training, and supervision.
