Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court has issued notices in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the operation of a wine shop in close proximity to a temple in Ayodhya district.
A division bench comprising Justice Sangeeta Chandra and Justice Shree Prakash Singh heard the petition filed by Swami Krishnacharya, alias Kali Prasad Mishra, against the State of Uttar Pradesh and others.
The petitioner has sought directions to remove the wine shop located next to the Shravan Shram Mandir in Khiharan, Tehsil Milkipur, District Ayodhya. The petition contends that the shop’s location would cause undue hardship to devotees offering prayers during the holy month of Shravan.
The court noted that the petitioner had previously complained to the Deputy Excise Commissioner of Ayodhya, who rejected the application citing potential revenue losses if the shop were closed.
Addressing the issue, the court observed, “We have gone through the letter dated 10.04.2024, a copy of which has been filed as annexure no. 2 to this petition. We have also gone through the instructions that have been made available to the office of C.S.C., which have been produced before this Court.”
The court has directed the District Excise Officer of Ayodhya to file a personal affidavit detailing the procedure adopted for measuring the distance between the shop and the temple. The court stated, “The photographs of the area, i.e., the road on which the wine shop is situated and the measurement carried out from the old gate and the new gate to the boundary wall of the temple concerned, be filed along with the affidavit.”
The court also referred to a Government Order dated 20.03.2008, enclosed with the instructions provided.
The court listed the matter for further hearing on 31.07.2024.
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