Supreme Court says burials must be held in designated graveyards for each faith

Supreme Court seeks clarity on designated Christian graveyard in Chhattisgarh amid burial dispute, emphasizing exclusive burial areas for each faith.

Noting that burials must be held only in the areas designated for each faith, the Supreme Court on Wednesday (January 22, 2025) found an affidavit filed by the Chhattisgarh government about a “designated” graveyard for Christians “very vague” even as it endeavoured to end a stand-off between the State and the family of a senior citizen, who died on January 7, over his burial place.

A Bench of Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma, while reserving the case for orders, asked the State government to file a fresh affidavit in the meanwhile spelling out essential details like the extent of the designated graveyard, its location and whether it was used, as claimed by authorities, by Christians across four neighbouring villages in Baster district.

During the hearing, Justice Nagarathna voiced urgency, saying the body was in the morgue since January 7, awaiting an immediate resolution to the impasse.

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Both judges on the Bench orally remarked that the body must be buried in a graveyard designated exclusively for Christians and rites followed.

“If there is a designated area, you can bury him there… This should be an exclusive Christian graveyard where they will not be disturbed. That is what we want,” Justice Nagarathna observed orally.

The Bench said it did not want anyone to “make a mountain out of a molehill”.