Madurai
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday directed that reasonable restrictions imposed and already upheld by it for the conduct of Thevar jayanthi would hold good for Immanuel Sekaran guru puja as well.
Justice N. Anand Venkatesh directed the State to provide bus facilities for those visiting the memorial in Paramakudi from the place where restriction of entry for vehicles is imposed. The court also directed the police to ensure adequate security arrangements for the smooth entry and exit to the memorials.
The court was hearing a plea that challenged the restrictions imposed by the Ramanathapuram district authorities for Immanuel Sekaran death anniversary, which falls on September 11.
Additional Advocate General K. Chellapandian submitted that restrictions were imposed in order to avoid disturbance to public tranquillity. Similar conditions were imposed last year for the event and restrictions were imposed on hired vehicles and other tourist vehicles. He added that State transport corporation buses would be provided for the event as was done in 2017, thereby extending the same facilities granted for Thevar jayanthi.
The High Court Bench, in its earlier order, had said that “right to freedom of conscience and to worship is undoubtedly a fundamental right, a right which is non-negotiable. However, freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion guaranteed under Article 25 of the Constitution of India is subject to public order, morality and health.”
The rights guaranteed under the Constitution do not include the right to travel to any particular religious place by any specific mode of transport and does not stand in the way of restrictions imposed to maintain law and order and public tranquillity.