Calcutta High Court eases restrictions on Durga Puja Pandals, permits visitors

In a recent development, Calcutta High Court on Wednesday relaxed the restrictions that it had earlier imposed on the Durga Puja Pandals in the state amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The court has permitted people to attend the puja as opposed to its previous order that declared all Durga Puja Pandals across West Bengal as no-entry zones. While easing the order, the Calcutta HC put together some COVID-19 protocols that need to be followed. 

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As per the eased Calcutta HC order:

• Dhakis are allowed to be present just inside the no-entry zone of the pandals. 
• People are allowed to attend Durga Puja provided a list is fixed on a day to day basis and hung outside at 8 am daily. 
• For big Durga Puja events, a maximum of 60 people are allowed provided their names are included in the list and no more than 45 people are present at a time. 
• The pandal for conducting big Durga Puja events should be larger than 300 square metres. 
• For small Durga Puja event maximum of 15 people are permitted provided their names are included in the list. 

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Calcutta HC's previous order

On Monday, a division bench of the High Court comprising Justices Sanjib Banerjee and Arijit Banerjee banned visitors from entering the marquees. As per the court order, barricades had to be put up at a distance of five meters from the entrance of small pandals and 10 metres for bigger ones. Only 15 to 25 people from the organising committee were allowed inside the pandals and a fixed list of the names of the said people had to be put on a display board and no changes in the names of people were permitted by the court. This order was passed by the Calcutta High Court on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Sabyasachi Chatterjee. 

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(With inputs from PTI)