A bench comprising Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan reminded the petitioner’s counsel that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had emphasized on November 26 that the executive was performing its functions within its defined limits.
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday(29th Nov) declined to hear a plea seeking regulation of the quality of “prasad” or food offerings distributed at temples, stating that such matters fall within the state’s policy domain.
A bench comprising Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan reminded the petitioner’s counsel that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had emphasized on November 26 that the executive was performing its functions within its defined limits.
“We are not inclined to entertain this petition, as the issues raised fall within the state’s policy jurisdiction,” the bench stated. “If the petitioner wishes, they may approach the appropriate authority, and the matter will be considered according to the law.”
The petitioner’s counsel highlighted reports of people falling ill after consuming “prasad” at various temples, emphasizing that the PIL was not intended for publicity.
“Why restrict it only to prasad?” the bench remarked. “You could file a similar plea for food quality in hotels or grocery stores, where adulteration might also occur.”
The counsel clarified that the petition did not blame temples but pointed out their limited capacity to check food quality. He mentioned that although the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has powers, its guidelines are insufficient, and the plea sought more robust regulation.
The bench concluded that if individual incidents arise concerning any specific temple, the affected parties could approach the respective high courts for redress.
Earlier, similar controversy over the alleged use of animal fat in the making of the renowned Tirupati laddoos reached the Supreme Court on Friday. A lawyer filed a petition claiming that this practice violates fundamental Hindu religious customs and deeply offends the sentiments of millions of devotees who regard the laddoos as sacred ‘prasad.’
The petitioner argued that the alleged inclusion of animal fat reflects broader issues within temple administration and stressed the need to protect the sanctity of Hindu religious practices. The row triggered after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu alleged that under the previous YSR Congress government, animal fat had been used in the preparation of the laddoos offered at the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati.
The Andhra Pradesh government backed these claims by referencing a Gujarat laboratory report, which revealed traces of beef tallow, fish oil, and lard (pig fat) in the ghee used for the laddoos.
In a letter petition to Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, lawyer Satyam Singh contended that these allegations violate Article 25 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion, including the right to practice religious customs. He emphasized that this incident is indicative of broader administrative issues and called for the proper, culturally sensitive management of temples.
The petition referenced several past Supreme Court judgments that highlighted the protection of essential religious practices.
