Supreme Court agrees to urgently hear challenge to Madras HC order staying sale of Plaster of Paris Ganesh idols

Chief Justice Chandrachud agreed to take up the case immediately at the end of the board, after the day’s list of cases are heard

Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud on September 18 agreed to hear urgently in the next few hours a petition challenging a Madras High Court Division Bench order stopping the sale of Ganesh idols made of Plaster of Paris.

The idols are immersed as part of the Ganesh Chaturthi festivities on September 19.

The Division Bench of the High Court had stopped the sale of the Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols in a special sitting on Sunday.

Also read | PoP Ganesh idols continue to find buyers in Bengaluru despite ban 

The Division Bench has set aside a Single Judge order of the Madras High Court which had allowed sale by the artisans, provided proper register is kept for the inspection of the authorities, but imposed restrictions on the immersion of the idols made of PoP.

“How can that be without immersion?” Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud asked senior advocate Shyam Divan, who made the oral mentioning.

Mr. Divan said the Division Bench order is being primarily challenged. “Artisans are crafting the idols… How can there a stay on the sale of the idols?” he asked.