Ram Navami procession: SC allows Jharkhand to cut power supply to avoid electrocutions

New Delhi: In a relief to the Jharkhand government, the Supreme Court on Friday allowed it to cut the power supply on routes of the Ram Navami procession to avoid electrocutions.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Jharkhand, said the state government had adopted a preventive mechanism after about 28 persons were tragically electrocuted in April, 2000.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and K V Viswanathan heard an urgent plea of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led government against the April 3 order of the high court barring Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited (JBVNL) and state other authorities to cut the power supply on religious occasions.

The top court modified the high court's direction after Sibal argued the practice of cutting power supply during such processions to avoid electrocution incidents has continued for over two decades.

There was also stampede during a religious procession on the occasion of Ram Navami, Sibal added.

“How can people survive?” the CJI asked after taking note of the state government’s proposal on the duration of power cuts during Ram Navami.

Sibal said people in such processions usually carried long flags which could result in electrocution.

The bench asked the state government to keep the power cuts to a minimum duration and confined to procession routes only.

The bench told the state government to ensure supply to hospitals during the planned power cuts aside from asking the JBVNL chief to file an undertaking in the Jharkhand High Court by noon on April 5 on a minimum period for power cuts and maintaining an emergency power supply to hospitals.

The bench issued a notice to the high court registry and posted the matter on April 8.

The state government sought “interim ex-parte stay” of the interim order of the high court.

Ram Navami, which marks the birth anniversary of Lord Rama, is on April 6.

The high court passed the order after taking suo motu cognisance of complaints about power outages in Ranchi during Sarhul festivities on April 1.

The high court restrained the state from carrying out any power shutdowns during festive processions and directed the government to immediately set a maximum permissible height for poles, flags, and other movable structures typically carried by participants during such events.

The state government, in its plea, expressed concerns over the feasibility of implementing such directives on short notice, particularly with Ram Navami, set to be observed on April 6.

The plea said it had long followed a controlled and staggered power cut mechanism along the procession routes as a preventive measure to avoid accidents—especially electrocution—caused by tall structures coming in contact with overhead high-tension wires.

"Religious processions in Jharkhand are known to carry tall flags, idols, and other structures, often exceeding the minimum clearance required under 33 KV and 11 KV power lines," the petition said.

The plea added "Cutting power along these routes is done only after coordination between the district administration and JBVNL, with advance public notification." The state government said essential facilities like Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) and other critical establishments were never affected during these scheduled power cuts.