Delhi HC grants permission for Ramleela, Dussehra celebration in DDA parks

The Delhi High Court has granted permission to two Ramleela committees to hold Ramleela and Dussehra celebrations in Delhi Development Authority (DDA) parks in Kirti Nagar and Tri Nagar.

These committees had approached the court seeking directions to DDA to dispose of their application for permission.

The bench of Justice Sachin Datta granted permission to Keshav Ramleela Committee to hold Ramleela and Dussehra celebration in Maharshi Dayanand Park (Nepal Wala Park) in Tri Nagar from September 24 to October 5, 2022, subject to all conditions/regulations being complied with.

The Court also granted permission to Astha Ramleela Committee to hold Ramleela and Dussehra celebration in Hedgewar Park (Tanki wala Park) at Saraswati Garden, Kirti Nagar from September 24 to October 5, 2022, subject to all conditions/regulations.

The bench said that these societies shall also follow scrupulously all the safety norms and other norms as prescribed by the NGT, Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Service, MCD and other connected organisations.

These committees moved petitions through advocate Gagan Gandhi seeking a direction to DDA to dispose of their application for granting permission to hold the Ramleela and Dussehra celebration.

Advocate Gagan Gandhi submitted the petitioner societies are registered and held Ramleela and Dussehra celebrations for a long. Earlier DDA had been granting permission to hold Ramleela and Dussehra celebrations in these parks.

However, this year the application for grant of permission for the above purpose on August 25, has not been decided yet, the counsel submitted.

On the other hand, the counsel for DDA submitted that public parks in Delhi cannot be allowed to use for marriage/commercial purposes.

However, the Court took note of the order of August 22, 2022, which was passed by the DDA in compliance with the decision taken in the meeting held under the Chairmanship of Lt Governor reserving the specific sites for the purpose of holding Ramleela and Dussera celebration from September 6 to October 15, 2022, by Ramleela committees affiliated with Delhi Dharmik Mahasangh.