Uttarakhand Government Challenges High Court Order On Char Dham Yatra

Uttarakhand Government has on Tuesday filed the Special Leave Petition (SPL) at the Supreme Court against the Uttarakhand High Court's order staying the Char Dham Yatra, state government's spokesperson Subodh Uniyal told ANI.

The state government had moved to the top court on June 30.

A hearing in connection with the Yatra at the High Court is scheduled for today.

"The High Court may have banned the Char Dham Yatra but the government has approached the Supreme Court against it. Now only the Supreme Court will decide the matter," Mr Uniyal said while moving to the top court." The state government has made full arrangements regarding the Char Dham Yatra, and no provision has been left," he added.

On June 28, the Uttarakhand High Court stayed the state Cabinet's decision permitting Char Dham Yatra with a limited number of pilgrims and also ordered live streaming of Char Dham shrines. The High Court has asked the government to file the affidavit again by July 7.

In view of COVID-19 and poor health preparedness, the decision of the government has been put on hold by High Court.

Earlier on June 25, the State Cabinet decided to partially open the Char Dham yatra for locals in limited numbers from July 1. Initially, it was decided, the yatra would be opened for residents of Chamoli, Uttarkashi, and Rudraprayag districts with a cap on the number of pilgrims to visit the temples daily.

The state government had said that it would be issuing guidelines for the pilgrimage for people from three districts. Government spokesperson Subodh Uniyal informed the three districts from where pilgrims were allowed were Chamoli, Uttarkashi, and Rudraprayag.

The four pilgrimage sites in Uttarakhand are Badrinath, Kedarnath, Yamunotri, and Gangotri.