Third wave of COVID-19 underway: Delhi High Court upholds AAP Government order prohibiting Chhath Pooja at public places

The Delhi High Court today refused to interfere with Delhi Goverment's order prohibiting Chhath Pooja at public places and ghats in view of COVID-19 pandemic. (Shri Durga Jan Seva Trust vs GNCTD).The Court was dealing with a petition by Shri Durga Jan Seva Trust (Petitioner) to quash the Delhi Government order..The Petitioner also sought permission to hold a gathering of 1,000 people for the pooja on November 20. .It appears that the Petitioner is not alive to the COVID-19 situation, a Division Bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad remarked as it recorded that the third wave of infection was already underway in the national capital. ."The infection rate is hovering between 7,800 to 8,593.. death rate is in double figures. There are 42,004 active cases.", the Court added. .While upholding the Delhi Government's decision, the Court ruled that the Petitioner could not be allowed to organize chhath pooja in any part of the city as it would "necessarily result in the said celebration turning into a super spreader". .While religious sentiments of all sections of the society must be respected, the right to life and health of the public at large cannot be sacrificed at the altar of a right to celebrate a festival, however, significant it may be for a particular community. This is the time to scale down to contain the infection and not to escalate the same.the Court said. .The Petitioner was a Trust which organised Chhath Puja on an annual basis in Kirari MCD ground which had the capacity of over 2 lakhs persons. .Challenging the prohibition, the Petitioner had argued that the authorities failed to consider the fact that Chhath Pooja was a major religious festival that is celebrated by the people of Bihar and Eastern U.P. on an annual basis. .It was added that the order overlooked the religious sentiments of the people and amounted to violating their right to conduct ceremonies at public places..Opining that the petition was devoid of any merit, the Court concluded the Petitioner's desire to celebrate Chhath Pooja at such a large scale at public places was belied by the existing ground reality prevalent in Delhi.."This is the time to scale down to contain the infection and not to escalate the same.", the Court said. .Advocate Ranjan Chaudhary appeared for the Petitioner. .Additional Standing Counsel Sanjoy Ghose appeared for Delhi Government with Advocate Naman Jain..Read the Order: