Supreme Court Declines Ruling on VIP Temple Entries

The Supreme Court of India declined to pass a directive on a plea challenging VIP entries in temples, suggesting state authorities address the issue. The court acknowledged no special treatment should be allowed but deemed the case unfit for adjudication, emphasizing state discretion under Article 32.

The Supreme Court on Friday made a significant decision regarding the plea challenging preferential VIP entries for temples across India. A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Justice Hrishikesh Roy, and Justice Sanjay Kumar stated that while the court concurs with the notion of equal entry for all, it will not issue any directives.

The court further highlighted that any action necessitated by this issue should stem from state authorities. This stance was made clear with the statement, 'Although we believe no special treatment should be facilitated concerning temple entries, we refrain from exercising our jurisdiction under Article 32. Nevertheless, dismissing this petition doesn't prohibit the appropriate authorities from acting.'

The plea, initiated by Vijay Kishore Goswami, argued that preferential, paid temple entries violate rights under Articles 14 and 21 of the Indian Constitution. Earlier proceedings were postponed to assess previous judgments on this matter. However, on Friday, the court determined it couldn't invoke its adjudicative powers, leaving any decisions to state discretion.

(With inputs from agencies.)