Odisha, June 23: The Supreme Court ordered coronavirus testing for all 'sevayats' (priests) at Puri's Jagannath Temple for the Rath Yatra. According to Pratap Jena, Odisha Law Minister, he said, "One sevayat has tested positive, he is not allowed to participate in the Rath Yatra."

The Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra is one of India’s biggest religious festivals. Several devotees usually gather in Puri to celebrate the festival during this time. However, this year due to the COVID-19 outbreak, people will not be allowed after the Supreme Court placed several conditions, including the imposition of a curfew in Puri during the festivities. Jagannath Rath Yatra 2020 Wishes: PM Modi, Naveen Patnaik, Amit Shah, President Kovind and Others Greet Nation.

The auspicious occasion of Jagannath Rath Yatra started today. 

A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, said in its order stated each chariot would be pulled by not more than 500 people, including officials and police, and there has to be an interval of one hour between pulling of the chariots. In addition to this, all the priests who would pull the chariots were tested for coronavirus.

 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 23, 2020 11:03 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).