Supreme Court Dismisses Jharkhand's Appeal Against HC Ruling on Festival Power Interruptions
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Synopsis
On April 8, the Supreme Court concluded a Jharkhand government plea contesting a High Court order that prohibited power cuts during Ram Navami and other festivals, emphasizing minimal disruption to essential services.
Key Takeaways
- The Supreme Court dismissed Jharkhand's plea against the High Court ruling.
- Power cuts during festivals are restricted to procession routes.
- Essential services, including hospitals, must not be impacted.
- Previous electrocution incidents justified the need for safety measures.
- Local businesses faced challenges due to power outages.
New Delhi, April 8 (NationPress) The Supreme Court on Tuesday terminated a plea brought forth by the Jharkhand government that contested the Jharkhand High Court ruling prohibiting power cuts during Ram Navami and various festivals.
A panel consisting of CJI Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar resolved to conclude the case after senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the state, indicated that the local discom limited power cuts solely to the routes of processions based on prior directives from the apex court.
Sibal mentioned that an affidavit from the Managing Director of the Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited (JBVNL) concerning compliance with the court's orders would be submitted.
On Friday, the panel led by CJI Khanna emphasized that power cuts should be minimized during festivals and mandated that such interruptions should only occur along procession routes during this year's Ram Navami. The court amended the Jharkhand High Court's ruling by stating that essential services, especially hospitals, must remain unaffected by power cuts.
In its special leave petition presented to the Supreme Court, the Jharkhand government contended that temporary power cuts were essential for safety, as flags carried in processions posed a risk for electric shocks.
The JBVNL has been regularly suspending power supply for several hours on festival days to avert accidents.
The matter drew attention after a five-to-ten-hour power cut in Ranchi during the Sarhul festival on April 1. Following this, a bench led by Chief Justice M.S. Ramachandra Rao and Justice Deepak Roshan of the Jharkhand High Court took notice on April 3, halting the state government's practice and questioning the absence of alternative safety protocols and the impact on residents. They expressed concern over the repercussions of these outages on local businesses, which experienced forced closures and financial losses. The Jharkhand HC remarked that such disruptions not only inconvenience residents but also present safety hazards.
The bench led by Chief Justice Rao instructed the JBVNL to refrain from imposing extensive power cuts unless absolutely essential.
Displeased with the rulings, the Jharkhand government approached the Supreme Court, asserting that previous incidents of electrocution during Ram Navami and other religious processions warranted these precautionary power cuts.
