LI Network
Published on: 04 September 2023 at 12:33 IST
The Allahabad High Court has recently dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking the declaration of a holiday on the occasion of ‘Karwa Chauth.’
A bench comprising Justice Attau Rahman Masoodi and Justice Om Prakash Shukla ruled that such matters fall within the purview of state policy decisions, and thus, the Court cannot adjudicate on these issues unless guided by statutory provisions.
The bench further noted that festivals are typically celebrated by the entire population, emphasizing that “Even otherwise, festivals are commonly celebrated by all.” Consequently, the PIL was dismissed.
The PIL was filed by Ashish Kumar Mishra, alleging gender discrimination in the declaration of holidays for festivals. The petitioner’s counsel argued that Karwa Chauth, predominantly celebrated by women, has not been granted holiday status.
However, the Court rejected the plea, stating that the matter falls under the jurisdiction of state policy.
It’s worth noting that the Uttar Pradesh government recently decided to declare a holiday for women teachers in Madhyamik education government schools on the occasion of Karva Chauth. A similar holiday had already been granted to women teachers in basic government schools.
Last year, the Punjab and Haryana High Court declared a holiday for Karwa Chauth following a request from the Bar Association.