Supreme Court dismisses petition on quality regulations of ‘Prasadam’, ‘Why limit to Prasadam’

On November 30, 2024By Pranco

A bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan observed that the issue fell under the domain of state policy and declined to intervene.

The Supreme Court on Friday, November 29, 2024, declined to initiate a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking regulation on the quality of prasadam distributed in temples.

A bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan observed that the issue fell under the domain of state policy and declined to intervene.

The petitioner’s counsel submitted that while temples did not have the resources to ensure the quality of prasadam, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) guidelines were inadequate and lacked enforcement power. The plea highlighted incidents of people falling ill after consuming prasadam at various temples.

The court, however, suggested that the matter could be taken up with the respective state authorities or high courts if any specific grievances arise. “We are not inclined to entertain the present petition as the prayers fall within the domain of state policy,” the court observed.

The bench further observed: “Why limit this to prasadam? Save it for food in hotels, food items that we buy in supermarkets. There may also be forgery.”

The petitioner claimed that the plea did not blame the temples but sought effective regulations to ensure public health and safety. The court reiterated that individual cases can be heard by state courts or relevant authorities.