SC notice to Centre, UP on Ram worship at Ayodhya

The Supreme Court on Friday sought a response from the Centre and Uttar Pradesh government on a plea for removing alleged unreasonable restrictions imposed by the authorities in Ayodhya on worshipping Lord Rama in the temple at the disputed site.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices A K Ganguly and B S Chauhan also issued notices to the Faizabad district commissioner and others, on an application filed by Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy, alleging that unreasonable and unnecessarily harsh regulations have been imposed on the puja.

The bench granted four weeks to file the response and objections to the application and posted the matter for hearing on August 31.

The Janata Party leader had contended that the regulations imposed on the puja by the Uttar Pradesh government, in consultation with the statutory receiver, the commissioner, Faizabad district, were unreasonable and unnecessarily harsh.

"According to this applicant (Swamy), these (regulations) are highly derogatory, humiliating and unreasonable and particularly harsh on the aged, infirm or even female devotees," the affidavit placed by him, in support of the application, said.

He said the restrictions imposed 16 years ago have been causing hardships for those seeking to worship at the shrine.

Swamy had said the matter has to be heard urgently as the question of public health and morality arises in it and he was "seeking relief on behalf of the devotees".