SC seeks Maharashtra reply on plea against orders allowing immersion of PoP idols

New Delhi, Sep 4 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Thursday sought Maharashtra government's response on a plea challenging the orders of the Bombay High Court permitting manufacture and immersion of Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols during religious festivals in the state.

A bench of Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran issued notices to the state government and others including the state pollution control board and various municipal bodies on the plea filed by one Rohit Manohar Joshi.

The petition challenges the high court orders of June 9 and July 24.

The impugned orders modified earlier directions which had prohibited use of PoP in manufacturing idols and their immersion in water bodies without prior approval of the high court.

The July 24 order extended the state’s idol immersion policy till March 2026 and raised the maximum permissible height of PoP idols from five feet to six feet. PTI SJK SJK AMK AMK