Supreme Court rejects plea to carry out Muharram procession

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday declined permission for carrying out Muharram procession across the country and asked Lucknow-based petitioner to move before the Allahabad High Court with his plea.

The apex court said how it can pass a general order for the whole country. A bench comprising Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian said it would lead to chaos and targeting of a particular community.

"You are asking for a general order and then if we allow this, there will be chaos. Particular community will be targeted for spreading Covid. We don't want that. We as a court cannot risk the health of all the people," the bench, which heard the matter through video conferencing, said. The bench allowed the petitioner to withdraw the petition with the liberty to approach the High Court with limited prayer of holding procession in Lucknow.

The apex court was hearing a PIL was filed by Shia leader Syed Kalbe Jawad.