Supreme Court vacates stay on 'modified Made Snana'

New Delhi, Sep 25 (DHNS): The Supreme Court has vacated its stay order on the verdict of the High Court of Karnataka on the controversial practise of ‘Made Snana’ at the Kukke Subramanya temple in Dakshina Kannada district.

A bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and C Nagappa on Monday allowed the petitioner Bhaskara Bendodi, president Adivasi Budakattu Hitarakshna Vedike, to approach the High Court for further hearing.

Since the petitioner himself wants to withdraw the petition, he can do it and approach the High Court on the issue.

“We request the High Court not to raise the ground of limitation in case a review petition is filed by the petitioner. But, it will be dealt on merits,” said the bench.

Earlier, the State government had filed an affidavit in the High Court, modifying the annual ritual, and the High Court accepted it.

The government had said devotees would no longer be allowed the practice of rolling over plantain leaves with leftovers of food consumed by Brahmins. Instead, the food offered to the deity will be directly brought from the sanctum sanctorum of the temple to the outer yard in the form of ‘prasadam’ and it will be placed on the plantain leaves.

Any devotee can roll over it as part of their ‘harake’ (offering to the god). It had also been decided against serving food to Brahmins or any body else in the outer yard on the day of the ritual.

It had also been decided to ensure that the temple does not encourage, sponsor or permit ‘pankti bheda’ (caste discrimination while serving food). The High Court division bench, headed by the then Chief Justice Vikramajit Sen, had disposed of the petition.

However, the Vedike filed a petition in the Supreme court, seeking a stay on the High Court order, saying that his organisation was not heard before the petition was disposed of by the High Court.

The Supreme Court, which stayed the High Court order on December 14, 2012, issued notices to the parties concerned.