**Supreme Court Dismisses Request to Ban Religious Festivities on School Grounds but Allows Century-Old Ram Leela Event to Continue**
The Supreme Court of India on Thursday dismissed a petition seeking to prohibit the use of school grounds for religious festivities. However, the apex court permitted the continuation of a “Ram Leela” event that has been organized for over a century in Uttar Pradesh’s Tundla area.
While delivering the verdict, the bench stated, “Although we don’t approve of holding religious festivities in school grounds, this Ram Leela has been going on for the past 100 years, and festivities for this year began on September 14,” as reported by news agency PTI.
The petition concerned the holding of religious celebrations on state-run school grounds. A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant, Ujjal Bhuyan, and N Kotiswar Singh stayed the Allahabad High Court’s order that barred festivities at a state-run school playground but allowed the event to continue under certain conditions.
The Supreme Court’s order stayed the relevant portion of the September 22 High Court ruling and permitted the Ram Leela celebrations to proceed “subject to the condition that no inconvenience will be caused to the students and no obstruction shall be created in their sports activities,” according to PTI.
During the hearing, the bench criticized the petitioner, Pradeep Singh Rana, for filing the case only after the festival had already started on September 14. The court remarked, “This Ram Leela has been going on for 100 years, and you also accept this fact. Then what prevented you from moving the courts in advance and stopping the festivities? Neither you are a student nor are you parents of the students; what interest do you have in stopping the festivities?” as cited by PTI.
Rana argued that he approached the High Court only after the construction of a concrete wall began at the venue. Responding to this, the bench noted that given the event’s long history, the High Court should have asked the district administration to resolve the dispute by identifying an alternative suitable site for the festivities.
The Supreme Court directed the district administration to conduct a proposal hearing involving all stakeholders before issuing any final orders. The bench also urged the High Court to “accord a hearing not only to the petitioner but also to other stakeholders as well, who might be required to be heard before any final order is passed,” according to news agency PTI.
The petitioner had alleged that the school playground was being used for Ram Leela celebrations between 7 pm and 10 pm, preventing students from accessing the ground intended for their recreational activities.
*With inputs from PTI*
https://www.mid-day.com/news/india-news/article/supreme-court-allows-100-year-old-ram-leela-in-uttar-pradesh-23595795