Aishwarya Rathore –
Published on August 10, 2021 at 17:57 IST
The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday urged the State Government to reconsider its stand on the matter of appointing a 16-year-old as the Peetadhipathi (chief pontiff) of the Shiroor Mutt.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice N Sanjay Gowda said, “State will have to rethink. Otherwise the State will have to turn a blind eye to many things happening to minors in the State. A minor may not understand the consequences of what he is doing.”
The Court was hearing a petition that questioned the legality of anointing a minor as the seer of the Udupi Shiroor Mutt Community.
When the issue came up for hearing, counsel for the petitioner argued that the child had been subjected to material abandonment, which is a violation of Article 21 of the Constitution.
The Court directed the State Government as well as other respondents to file statements of objections within three weeks.
The matter will be next heard on September 13.
According to the petitioner, there were several Press Reports in which the Peetadhipathi of the Sodhe Mutt declared that a 16-year-old boy would be anointed as the Peetadhipathi of the Shiroor Mutt through Sanyasa conferment.
The reports further said that the devotees of the Shiroor Mutt had raised their objections to the same.
Interestingly, the petition also said that the minor is not a disciple of Shiroor Mutt.
The plea further claimed that in March, a legal notice was issued to the Peetadhipathi ordering him to refrain from anointing anyone as the Mutt’s Peetadhipathi and from dealing with the Mutt’s immovable properties and idols.
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