SC bans kids below 12 to be part of Janmashtami human pyramids

The Supreme Court on Thursday barred children below the age of 12 from participating in the formation of human pyramids on Dahi Handi - an earthen pot filled with butter milk - a festival event largely celebrated in Mumbai on the occasion of Krishna Janmashtami that will fall on Monday.

An apex court bench comprising of Chief Justice R.M. Lodha, Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman put on hold the Bombay High Court order that had said that children below the age of 18 years would not participate in human pyramids.

"I have seen it for 13 years. These MLAS come and give awards of Rs.1 lakh or so and young people go crazy. So many people fall down," said Chief Justice Lodha who was a judge of the Bombay High Court from 1994 to 2008.

The apex court order came on a petition by Amit Jaising Saraiya and others challenging the August 11 order of Bombay High Court which excluded children below 18 years of age from participating in human pyramids.

The court issued notice to Maharashtra government and other authorities in the state seeking their response in eight weeks.

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