New Delhi

The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to examine a petition questioning the practice of ‘VIP darshan’ and preferential access to the sanctum sanctorum at the Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain, observing that matters related to religious rituals and entry into temples fall outside the scope of judicial review.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices R Mahadevan and Joymalya Bagchi, said issues concerning temple management and regulation of worship are not “justiciable” and should be addressed by the competent authorities rather than courts.

The petitioner, Darpan Awasthi, represented by advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, had challenged a Madhya Pradesh High Court order that upheld the system of special access for certain individuals, including permission to enter the sanctum to offer water to the deity. As the bench indicated it was unwilling to entertain the plea, Jain sought permission to withdraw it while reserving the right to approach the authorities through a formal representation, which the court allowed.

During the hearing, Jain argued that allowing select individuals into the sanctum violates the principle of equality and that all devotees should be treated alike. He submitted that access is often granted based on administrative recommendations, leaving ordinary worshippers at a disadvantage.

Responding to the submissions, the Chief Justice stressed that courts must exercise restraint in matters of faith and religious administration. He noted that deciding who may or may not enter the sanctum is a policy issue best left to those managing the temple.

The bench cautioned that applying constitutional guarantees strictly within the sanctum could have far-reaching implications. The Chief Justice observed that enforcing Article 14 on equality in such spaces could open the door to claims under other fundamental rights, such as freedom of speech, potentially disrupting the sanctity and traditions of religious practices.

Jain countered that discrimination based on “VIP” status was arbitrary and called for either uniform access for all devotees or a complete bar on entry into the sanctum. He maintained that a regular worshipper should enjoy the same rights as anyone granted special access.

ALSO READ: Padma Bhushan for Mammootty and Padma Shri for 4 more Muslims

The plea had reached the apex court after the high court ruled that the term “VIP” is not defined under any statute or rule and that granting such access is an administrative decision taken by the temple management committee in consultation with the district collector.