Can't Direct State Govt To Extend Financial Assistance To Workers Associated With Durga Puja Festivals: Orissa High Court

The Orissa High Court on Friday said that it can't direct the State Government to separately extend financial relief to workers associated with the Durga Puja festivals and whose livelihood has been adversely affected due to COVID.

The Bench of Chief Justice Dr. S. Muralidhar and Justice B. P. Routray was hearing a bunch of petitioners, who are the office bearers of various Puja Committees in and around Cuttack city, and broadly made two prayers before the Court.

The first prayer related to seeking relaxation in the restrictions placed in the standard operating procedure (SOP) of the State government which issued guidelines and instructions for the observance of Durga Puja in the month of October, 2021.

The second prayer was regarding the livelihood of those workers whose livelihood during the festival has, according to the Petitioners, got adversely affected, and therefore, a direction was sought to the State Government to frame a scheme or extend financial assistance to such workers.

Regarding the first prayer, the Court noted that it has already, in its order dated 17th September, 2021, approved the aforementioned SOP of the state Government and therefore, the court decided not to re-visit the issue.

As far as the second prayer was concerned, the Court noted thus:

"...since the restrictions placed by the SOP is in the background of COVID-19 pandemic and since the pandemic has affected a large number of workers in various trades and avocations it is not possible for the Court to direct the State Government to separately provide for workers associated with the puja festivals for grant of such relief."

Against this backdrop, the Court held that in any event, since the issue relates to the policy of the Government and therefore, the Court was not expected to issue such directions in the absence of empirical data.

However, the Court left it open to the Petitioners to seek other avenues for ventilating their grievance as regards the second prayer and disposed of the writ petition. 

Case title - Amulya Behera and Others v. State of Odisha and another

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