Preparations are underway for installing the Lord Ganesh idol at the Hubballi-Dharwad Idgah ground after, in a late-night hearing on Tuesday, Karnataka High Court upheld the order of the municipal commissioner allowing the Ganesh Chaturthi festival to be held at the venue.
Justice Ashok S Kinagi held that the Hubballi-Dharwad Idgah ground property belonged to the Dharwad municipality and Anjuman-e-Islam was only a leaseholder.
K Govardhan Rao, Convener, Rani Chennamma Maidan Gajanan Utsav Mahamandal told news agency ANI that the venue will be used for the Ganpati festival for three days and all municipal instructions will be duly followed.
“Rani Chennamma Maidan belongs to Municipal Corporation, so we had requested on behalf of Samiti Mahamandal that this Ganpati Utsav should be allowed here… Puja will be conducted in the traditional way and we’re going to celebrate this festival for 3 days as per the direction of Municipal Corporation. We’re going to follow all instructions that have been given,” K Govardhan Rao said.
Karnataka High Court upheld authorities’ decision to allow #GaneshChaturthi at Eidgah ground at Hubbali-Dharwad, rejects pleas challenging permission for allowing the rituals here.
Preparations underway for installing the Ganesh idol at the ground, visuals from this morning. pic.twitter.com/wpkaOWDzLQ
— ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2022
The municipal commissioner’s order to allow the Ganeshotsav festival to be celebrated in the Hubballi-Dharwad Idgah ground was challenged in court by Anjuman-e-Islam.
Anjuman-e-Islam had claimed that the property in question was protected under the Places of Worship Act, 1991, which says no religious place of worship can be converted.
The high court said in the case of the property in question, it was not a religious place of worship and was allowed for prayers only during Bakrid and Ramzan. During other times, it was used for purposes like a marketplace and a parking lot.