Delhi HC dismisses plea challenging Chhath Puja ban in national capital

The Delhi government told the court that the ban was imposed due to water pollution caused on the banks of Yamuna during Chhath Puja

The Delhi high court on Wednesday refused to entertain a plea against the ban of celebrating Chhath Puja on the banks of river Yamuna, stressing that the restrictions in place are to prevent pollution in the river.

Smog engulfs the city near a polluted Yamuna river in Kalindi Kunj area of New Delhi earlier this week. (Sunil Ghosh/ HT Photo)

“It’s for the purpose to prevent river pollution,” justice Subramanian Prasad said while hearing a plea filed by Chhath Puja Sangharsh Samiti.

“The counsel for the petitioner seeks permission to withdraw. Dismissed as withdrawn,” court said in its order.

The Samiti in its plea challenged the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) notification dated 29 October 2021 that barred from designating a site for the festival on the banks of Yamuna.

They argued that the notification restrains the fundamental rights and right to worship, adding that it was issued during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It is further submitted that respondent number 1 (Delhi government) has not mentioned proper law/rules in which they were entitled to restrain 30-40 lakh devotees from worshipping. That the aforesaid notification affected 30-40 lakh peoples who are totally devoted towards the functioning of Chhath Puja,” read the plea.

During the brief hearing, advocate Vinay Dubey for the Samiti said that neighbouring states such as Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are celebrating the festival on the banks of rivers, while the DDMA is restraining residents of the national capital.

The Delhi government said that the ban was imposed due to water pollution caused on the banks of Yamuna.