Cuttack/Puri: A public interest litigation (PIL) challenging Shree Jagannath Temple Administration’s (SJTA) decision to auction live telecast rights of Puri Rath Yatra, 2019, has been filed at the Orissa High Court (HC).
One Prasanna Kumar Dash of Puri has filed the PIL citing that the decision was in violation of the temple rules and regulations. It sought immediate withdrawal of the auction notification.
SJTA Chief Administrator PK Mohapatra said that the news channels earn a lot by telecasting the Rath Yatra live but the temple does not receive even a small slice of the revenues they generate.
Meanwhile, Otv channel has won the bid with Rs 54 lakh. It will have exclusive rights to cover the Rath Yatra rituals, starting from Snana Yatra (bathing of the deities) on June 17 to the Niladire Vije (return of the deities to the temple, marking the end of the Rath Yatra) on July 14.
However, SJTA Chief Administrator will take a final call on it as a section of servitors of the 12th century shrine were opposoing the move. This year the Rath Yatra falls on July 4.
