Delhi HC issues notice to Centre, Delhi govt in Plea seeking entry of non-parsis in Delhi Parsi Anjuman

The Delhi High Court has today issued notice to the Central Government and the Delhi Government in a petition seeking to enable any Indian, specifically women of any religion, to pray at the Sanctum Sanctorum of Fire Temple in Delhi Parsi Anjuman..The petitioner also prays for police protection for such individuals and a direction to the Delhi Parsi Anjuman to allow such entry to anyone and thus not interfere “with the right of the Billion of Indians to pray at Sanctum Sanctorum of Fire Temple”..The matter was listed for hearing before a Division Bench comprising its Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V Kameswar Rao..The petition has been clubbed along with another writ petition seeking entry of women inside the Nizamuddin Dargah..The petition also seeks a declaration that any prohibition on non-parsi men and women, to enter the Sanctum Sanctorum of holy Fire Temple at Delhi Parsi Anjuman, is illegal and unconstitutional..Additionally, the petition seeks an appropriate direction to enable women professing the Parsi religion to be ordained as Priests and women professing Islam to be ordained as Imams of Delhi Jama Masjid and to be able to lead mixed gender congregation of Friday Salat (prayer) and Non-Friday prayers..A similar direction enabling women professing Christianity in orthodox and Catholic parishes to be able to be ordained as Priests, Bishops, Deacons and Archbishops is also sought..The writ Petition filed through Advocate Sanjjiiv Kkumar also challenges the practice of prohibiting Muslim women from observing fasts and offering prayers in Delhi’s Jama Masjid during menstruation for being unconstitutional..Additionally, the petition seeks an appropriate order to the Government to implement “the rule and policy” that Hindu Women can observe fasts, enter the kitchen, offer prayers or go to any place during menstruation, as the denial of the same is unconstitutional..The matter would be next heard on April 11, 2019..Read the Petition and order: