Bhubaneswar, Oct. 19 -- The Orissa High Court has declined to impose a blanket ban on temporary religious pandals on public roads, observing that religious festivals may be held in the larger public interest as long as they do not completely obstruct traffic, restrict residents' access to their homes or impede emergency vehicles.
The Court held that the larger public interest in community celebrations outweighs individual inconvenience, provided the arrangements do not completely block traffic or deny residents access to their homes.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice Mruganka Sekhar Sahoo disposed of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Sarat Kumar Gajendra, who alleged that a temporary pandal erected for ...