SC rejects plea raising food quality concerns

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to examine a plea seeking regulations over the quality of “prasad” or food offerings being distributed at temples, observing its prayers were within the state’s domain.

A bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan told the petitioner’s counsel that Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 26 said the executive was discharging its function within its limits.

“We are not inclined to entertain the present petition in as much as the prayers made in the petition are within the domain of policy of the state,” the bench noted, “if the petitioner so desires, he may make an application to the appropriate authority which would be considered in accordance with law”. The petitioner’s counsel asserted that the PIL did not seek publicity while referring to news reports over people falling ill after the consumption of food offerings or “prasad” at various temples.

“Why only restricting it to prasadam? File it for food in hotels, food items that we purchase from the grocery (stores). There may also be adulteration there,” the

bench remarked.