The Supreme Court, on Friday, decided not to entertain a petition that sought to enforce regulations on the quality of ‘prasad’ distributed in temples across India. The bench, comprising Justices B.R. Gavai and K.V. Viswanathan, noted that the issue raised in the plea predominantly falls under the jurisdiction of state policy and advised the petitioner to approach the relevant state authorities.
During the proceedings, the petitioner’s counsel argued that the public interest litigation (PIL) was motivated by concerns for public health, referencing instances where individuals fell ill after consuming ‘prasad’ at various temples. The counsel emphasized that the plea did not seek publicity but aimed to address potential health risks associated with food offerings at religious sites.
However, the bench responded with broader considerations, questioning why the plea was restricted to temple offerings and not inclusive of food quality in other areas such as hotels and grocery stores, where similar risks of adulteration exist. “Why only restricting it to prasadam? File it for food in hotels, food items that we purchase from the grocery (stores). There may also be adulteration there,” remarked the justices.
The petitioner’s counsel highlighted that temples often lack the necessary resources to verify the quality of the supplies used in preparing ‘prasad’. While acknowledging the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) existing powers, the counsel pointed out that the current guidelines lack enforcement strength, and the plea was aimed at securing more stringent regulatory oversight.
