'Ban' on telecast of consecration ceremony: SC asks TN authorities to act in accordance with law

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the authorities in Tamil Nadu to act in accordance with the law and not based on any oral instructions on ''banning'' special prayers and live telecast of the Ram temple consecration ceremony in all temples across the state.

A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta, while hearing a plea seeking quashing of an ''oral order'' dated January 20 banning live telecast of the consecration ceremony at Ayodhya in temples across Tamil Nadu, said no one is bound to abide with the oral orders.

The bench took on record the statement of senior advocate Amit Anand Tiwari for Tamil Nadu that there are no restrictions on 'puja archana’ in temples or live telecast of consecration ceremony at Ayodhya.

He said the plea is “politically motivated”.

The bench asked the authorities to put on record the reasons and maintain the data of applications which has been allowed for ‘Puja archana’ and live telecast of consecration ceremony in temples and those which have been disallowed.

The bench also sought response of the Tamil Nadu government on the plea by January 29. The plea has been filed by one Vinoj in which it has been submitted that the Tamil Nadu government run by the DMK has banned live telecast of the ''pran prathishta'' of Lord Ram at Ayodhya in all temples across Tamil Nadu.

It is being alleged that the government has also banned all kinds of prayers, and 'annadanam' (poor feeding) 'bhajans' on the occasion. However, Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister, P K Sekar Babu had said on Sunday that the HR and CE Department has not imposed any kind of ban for conduct of puja for Shri Ram. Also, there is no bar to distribute 'Annadhanam' and 'Prasadam.' He dismissed the claim as false news with ulterior motives.