In a major relief to the Odisha Government, the Supreme Court on Friday dismissed the petitions claiming illegal construction and excavation works under the Shreemandir Parikrama Prakalp at the Jagannath Temple in Puri.
Besides, the apex court imposed Rs 1 lakh fine on each of the petitioners for wasting its valuable time.
A Vacation Bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and Hima Kohli criticised the PIL applicants for wasting the court’s time with frivolous petitions and also pointed out that in the recent past there has been a mushrooming growth in the PILs.
“We deprecate the practice of filing such PILs. It’s a waste of judicial time and it needs to be nipped in the bud so that development work is not stalled…,” said the Bench, adding that they are “personal interest litigations” and are “nothing but abuse of law”.
During the hearing, senior advocate Mahalakshmi Pavani, representing a petitioner, submitted that no construction can be carried out in the prohibited area at the temple and the State Government got NOC from the National Monuments Authority (NMA) and carried out the construction. She argued that only the director archaeology either at Central or State level could grant a valid certificate and not the NMA.
Odisha Advocate General Ashok Kumar Parija contended that the NMA is the right authority under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act (AMASR). The State Government’s Director of Culture is the competent authority which gave the permission and the Government plans amenities to devotees and beautification of the temple.
Reacting to the judgment, Puri BJD MP Pinaki Misra said, “The Lord has spoken through the voice of the Hon’ble apex court. Naveenbabu stands vindicated in his earnest attempt to create world-class infrastructure to make Puri a world heritage site.”
He has always tried to make this apolitical by taking all parties along every step of the way and inviting all leaders to the foundation-stone laying ceremony till date, he said.
Misra appealed to all to stop impeding this noble venture for any personal or political gain. “History will judge us in this hour of reckoning if this decisive legal verdict of the final court is not taken in the right spirit of Odia glory for the sake of Lord Jagannath and the people of Puri,” he added.
