The Bombay High Court has recently authorized the use of flowers and garlands at the Shree Saibaba Sanstha in Shirdi, lifting a three-year suspension that was imposed due to COVID-19 restrictions.
A division bench of the High Court, consisting of Justice Mangesh Patil and Justice Shailesh Brahme, was considering an application filed by the ad hoc committee and flower vendors.
The committee sought the court's approval for its resolution to allow the use of flowers and garlands, while the vendors requested permission to sell them within the temple premises.
Advocate Anil Bajaj, representing the Sanstha, explained that flowers would be purchased directly from farmers through a credit cooperative society managed by the Sanstha’s employees. These flowers would then be sold at reasonable prices within the temple premises.
Meanwhile, Advocate PS Talekar, representing one of the intervenors, argued that his client had been subjected to extortion by street vendors who sold flowers and garlands at inflated prices. He noted that the issue of overpricing had been acknowledged by the board as early as 2017.
However, the bench, while permitting the use of flowers and garlands at the temple noted that “Since nothing has been mentioned in the resolution as to the manner in which it would be disposed of and being a perishable one requiring regular and prompt disposal, it would be appropriate that permission is granted to the Sansthan/trust for resuming offering of flowers/garlands as resolved by Resolution No.277, and calling upon the ad hoc committee to take appropriate decision at the earliest regarding the manner in which it decides to dispose of the waste to be generated by virtue of offering of the flowers/garlands,” the order reads.
Case title: Shri Saibaba Sansthan Shirdi vs The State of Maharashtra
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