GURURAJ JEEVAN RAO Vs. STATE OF KARNATAKA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Petitioner, hailing from a remote village Kulai in Dakshina Kannada District claiming to be a public spirited person is knocking at the doors of Writ Court in PIL jurisdiction with the only prayer - 'Direct the 1st Respondent to constitute a committee and frame by-law/guidelines for conducting 'paryaya' in Ashta Mutt at Udupi, in the interest of justice and equity' (sic).

(2.) Learned counsel appearing for the Petitioner vehemently argues that the fourth Respondent ' pontiff namely, His Holiness Sri Sugunendra Theertharu of Puttige Mutt, Udupi, having traveled abroad had crossed seas/oceans and therefore, as per the traditions of subject Mutts, he is not entitled to touch the idol of Lord Krishna and disqualified from worshiping the deity. He points out that the said pontiff had traveled to United States of America during the year 1997. He draws our attention to para 6.3 of the Petition wherein inter alia averred as under:

(3.) Having heard the learned counsel for the Petitioner and having perused the Petition papers, we decline indulgence in the matter for the following facts and reasons: