Allow 20,000 to participate in Deepam festivities: HC
The Hindu
Court wants online booking of slots and devotees to produce vaccination certificate
The Madras High Court on Thursday directed the State government and the Tiruvannamalai district administration to permit 20,000 devotees (5,000 from Tiruvannamalai district and 15,000 from other districts and States) to circumambulate the holy hill attached to the Arunachaleswarar temple, during the annual Karthigai Deepam festival on Friday and Saturday.
Acting Chief Justice M. Duraiswamy and Justice Sathya Narayana Prasad ordered that the devotees be allowed to book their slot on the virtual mode and entry be permitted only on production of such online ticket. Those who succeed in online booking must produce COVID-19 double vaccination certificates.
The authorities concerned were ordered to ensure that all devotees were subjected to temperature check at the entry point and made to follow COVID-19 protocols as per the guidelines issued by the State government. It was ordered that no devotee should be permitted to climb the holy hill and surveillance should be strengthened at multiple pathways leading to the hilltop.
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